Square Pegs
by Fireflyatnight
Summary: Edward Cullen, powerful and brilliant, lacks a real love relationship in his life. He's bi tries to his be content with his regular sex partners until he meets Bella under mysterious circumstances. Security expert Jasper must keep them all safe while trying to ignore his attractions and Emmett just wants everyone. There is a plot. POLY SLASH, DARK SUBJECT MATTER, HEA Guaranteed
1. Breakfast of Champions

**A/N: Hi all! Thanks for trying my new story, Square Pegs. It's a bit of a slow starter, but please bear with me. This is darker than All Together Now and does have some abuse scenes from a character's past. This is an Edward, Bella, Jasper and Emmett love story so there will be lemons, however it is a full story line. I hope you all enjoy it!**

**EPOV**

The hit of caffeine from the rich coffee in my mug was almost a religious experience. I don't care what anyone says, there is no such thing as a good morning. I glanced over at my breakfast companion and realized the coffee wouldn't be the only thing to wake me up properly.

"We're lucky Seth is a brilliant cook or we'd all starve when Mrs. P goes out of town." I managed to start this small talk in between decadent bites of a Spanish Omelet.

"Right on. You know I come see you for the food. Muffy's diet cook is a nutjob so I need real sustenance." Poor Carlisle is married to a hideous creature named Muffy that makes his life a living hell. He's one of the kindest and gentlest people I've ever met, so for him to marry a mercenary gossiping hag is a bit of a head scratcher. Oh, and there's the little fact that he's gay.

"Carlisle, you know you have options right? I mean your family may have been the reason for your marriage but it doesn't have to keep going. You're a doctor. You know that the emotional bullshit she heaps on you is a form of abuse!" He's already shaking his head. This isn't a new argument for us.

"Yeah, I know. And at this point, I don't care what my family says. After all this time, it's fine with me to lose their support. And financially I would be completely solid. Basically it's habit and a fear of the hell Muffy will rain down on me if I ask for a divorce. It's easier to go along and enjoy my companionship where I can. She certainly enjoys many lovers." Carlisle doesn't sound bitter about any of it. I think her lovers are a relief to him because for a long while there, she wanted to bed him regardless of his interest. He's a very handsome man. I secretly think she may have succeeded at one point due to a certain traumatized look he gets when talking about her.

"Well, I do enjoy your companionship but I won't kid myself and believe we'll have this mutual arrangement forever. You're destined for real love and family, my friend. And if there's anything I can do to help you get there, just let me know." Carlisle's smile is so sweet when I say this.

"Well…now that you mention it…I have been a little…_tense_." Oh hell yeah…sexy times! Carlisle and I are lovers several times a week. I have a rule about not bedding married people but to my mind, Carlisle is NOT married. I mean they live on different floors of the house! And our relationship is built on more than sex. It's friendship and companionship that happens to involve fantastic orgasms from time to time. It keeps us both sane in our crazy worlds.

"Well now, we can't have that getting worse now, can we?" I start to push plates and breakfast detritus aside before pulling him up to perch on the edge of the table. Carlisle kisses down my neck and across my collarbone as I work on the button on his pants. I have a rule about kissing on the lips with anyone. For me, kissing is more intimate than just about anything, so it's a personal preference.

I finally get his belt and button undone. Lowering the zipper, I reach in…

"EDWARD!"

"GODDAMNITMOTHERFUCKINGSHIT!" I bang my head down on Carlisle's thigh. He's just laughing at my irritation…traitor. Rose's voice starts up again before I can say anything.

"Well excuse me, sunshine. You have to go into the office. There's a problem with one of the accounts and it's time sensitive so a lot of the department heads are there today as well despite the fact that it's Saturday. The VP is on vacay, so it's all you boss man."

Without raising my head from Carlisle's thigh, I say, "it's days like this that I hate my damn life."

"Sorry, Edward. Rain check?" Carlisle is smiling down at me but the smile is a bit strained.

"Better idea…fancy a ride into the city?" After a second, he gets my drift and grins.

"Absolutely."

I am changed and headed out to the limo within ten minutes. Sam is smugly grinning at me but I just wink a bit and climb in the back. Carlisle is lounged against the other side with a glass of champagne.

"How's the tension?" As soon as the door shuts, I'm crawling over to my friend.

"Still there…and it's getting worse. Look, I can't even hold my hand steady." His hand trembles and drops of champagne rain down onto his hard cock which was free from his pants and standing tall.

"Let me help you clean that off then, shall I?" I don't wait for an answer but instead just lean my head down to his lap and begin licking up the side of his dick slowly. He's about average in size but is super-thick so it's a yummy mouthful. The champagne mixes with the essence of Carlisle that always reminds me of English gardens and midnight swims. I hum in pleasure.

"Fuck, Edward your mouth is so good. Suck it in, Babe….that's right." Carlisle fists a hand in my hair and begins to push downward to prompt me to begin sucking him off. With another happy hum, I twirl my tongue around the tip and then lower in one swoop to the base. His meaty shaft fills my mouth so amazingly that I can't stop moaning. I begin a sweeping figure eight rhythm that lets me stimulate both the front and back of his cock at different times.

My hand has dug into my pants to pull out the monster trying to bust free. With another happy hum, I begin to stroke and pump in a matching cadence to my sucking of Carlisle. His groans of contentment are gaining volume so I know he'll be coming soon. Suddenly, two fingers push into my asshole dry which is the catalyst for my release into my hand and the last thing needed for Carlisle to explode in my throat in quick spurts of juice.

"Well then, if you have to go to work, that is definitely the way to start off right. Man, carpooling would totally be a given if it came with free orgasms." I'm a little silly post-coitus…sue me.

Carlisle just snickered at me. The intercom from the front suddenly turned on to let Sam tell us we're two minutes away. After righting out clothes, I grab my satchel and look over to my friend. He looks positively relaxed and sated. Good.

"I'll call you tomorrow to see how tonight goes. Have fun! And thanks for the ride." Carlisle's cheeky grin accompanies me into my office building and keeps me from yelling at anyone for at least an hour which is pretty impressive.

**7 Hours Later**

"Thank GOD!" I heard Rose snicker over the speaker phone. "Shut it, you. You know how much I hate coming here, especially on a damn Saturday."

"Yes, well sometimes it's not so good to be the king, eh?" She cracked herself up.

"Your love of Mel Brooks movies is kind of disturbing, Rosie. I am out of here now that this silly snafu is taken care of properly. This is why I have VPs!"

"Even your executives have to have vacations, you slave-driver. Stop whining. You only go to the office a few times a month max, so it's not like you're dragged there every single day. I know you're anxious to get home but it's not like we'll leave without you." She was right…I always go to these parties with Rose and her wife Alice who is my assistant. Rose is the organizer, after all so it makes sense for us to ride together.

"I'm on my way out now. We should have enough time to get ready. See you soon!" I hung up and pushed away from the desk. Grabbing my bag, I head out the door to catch the elevator.

"Mr. Cullen! Mr. Cullen!" Fuck….I was so close.

"Yes, Ms. Denali?" The stupid woman just stood and blinked at me for a few seconds. Why haven't I fired her yet? "I'm running late, so spit it out already!"

"Yes, _sir._" Her inflection was probably meant to sound sexy but failed utterly. "I was wondering when you'd be back in the office again so that I can set up an appointment to discuss some important _matters_."

"I'll be back when I choose to be. If you have important matters, discuss them with Ms. Brandon as per usual. If she deems it worth my time, she will schedule a teleconference." I turned to leave but was stopped again by the insipid creature.

"But these are matters that should remain private and confidential." She stroked my arm which was the last straw.

"Ms. Denali, there are no business matters that could possibly be private or confidential that you have access to, so I would suggest you take anything you need to discuss up with my assistant."

"But Ms. Brandon does not care for me, sir so I don't believe she is a fair judge." Oh really, you little skank?

"Ms. Brandon is my most trusted associate and my best friend so her opinions matter more to me than yours. Now, I am done with this conversation. Good day." I turned to leave again when I heard it.

"That fucking dyke." She hissed lowly enough that she probably believed I wouldn't hear.

"Ms. Denali, please wait a moment." Her hope at my words was nauseating. I dialed Alec in security on my phone as I looked at the stupid woman. "Alec? Yes, please come to the 53rd floor immediately." She still only looked intrigued and horny.

"Oh, I do love sharing, _sir."_

"I'm sure you'll find Alec very forceful." She was ecstatic to hear this. I heard the elevator chime and knew Alec was here. Excellent.

"Ms. Denali, you are fired as of this second. Alec will accompany you to your desk where you will clear out your belongings within the next five minutes before being escorted out of this building. You are never to return again." She spluttered indignantly at me. "Oh and Ms. Denali? Don't forget you have an ironclad nondisclosure agreement regarding all matters at my company that I will happily enforce if I find you trying to cash in on any business contacts or secrets you have garnered while here."

"Why the fuck do you think you're firing me?" I think?

"You are being terminated for using homophobic slurs about another employee at _my_ company. I could also tack on sexual harassment of myself but I would rather avoid any mention of the two of us in the same context. I genuinely hope to never see you again." I nodded at Alec and entered the elevator as she screamed and cursed like the trash she is.

This is why I don't come to the office if I can help it. I prefer to work from my estate where I have control over the people who are admitted so I don't have to deal with idiots. I glance down at my watch and see that I'm now running late. Fuck it all.

I dialed Alice to tell her about the latest job vacancy here as well as my later arrival.

"Edward, I need time to get you ready! Jesus, I'm not a magician here!" I loved her to death which is the only reason she gets to talk to me like I'm a silly child.

"I'll be there within the hour so quit whining. Go play with your wife or something." I hung up with a grin before I ran out of the elevator to meet up with my security/driver. As usual, Sam was leaning against the car looking delectable.

"Evening. I see we're running behind so I'll do my best to speed up this process." He grinned at me cheekily before opening the door and running around to get in the driver's seat. I continued to pursue business matters for a bit via phone and laptop before closing everything up and settling back to mentally prepare for my evening.

I seriously could not fucking wait for tonight. I needed this in the worst possible way. Fun mornings like today with Carlisle and then fucking Sam and his partner Seth or even joining Alice and Rose upon occasion was all well and good, but I needed more. I've always been highly sexual, so it's very difficult to be satisfied with getting to join couples like my friends sometimes but not having other outlets. As it was, I got fucked at least four times a week but it wasn't near enough. I still had to masturbate or use toys twice a day to stay sane.

I shouldn't complain. I'm fucking blessed to have friends who like to include me with their spouses so often. Alice and Rose were a very committed couple. They still enjoyed cock on occasion so it worked out for me to join them a couple of times a week. I was the only man they ever fucked so it worked for all of us. Sam and Seth were also devoted to each other but enjoyed having a third as well frequently, especially one who could power bottom so I was able to get my cock fix regularly.

Carlisle and I met up at least twice a week if not more. We weren't always fucking then though as he was more of a best friend with benefits than anything else. I considered him one of my dearest probably second only to Alice or Rose…maybe even equal.

My bisexuality is not something I advertise mainly because I feel it's no one's business but mine. In reality, I was more into cock than pussy but I still craved a female body regularly. I've just been burned by so many women that I learned to be extra careful.

Tonight though, I was going to screw as much as humanly possible. It was really all thanks to Rose that I had these nights at all. She worked for me on a daily basis but had a secret side job that benefited us all. Rose planned sex parties. Actually, she planned the most secure and elite sex parties in the country. Her _Mistress Selena_ parties were usually thought to be an urban legend unless you were one of the lucky elite she invited.

All attendees went through a complete background check that was CIA level in nature as well as a full health screening and very frequent STD checks. You only got to the application process if someone who was a member recommended you. The penalty for a bad recommendation was banishment from all future events so it wasn't done lightly. Almost all attendees were wealthy or powerful members of society though it was irrelevant since costumes were mandatory. The only other attendees were Rose's special crop of up and comers who she deemed to be worthy.

I always went disguised from top to bottom. My hair would receive a temporary dye as it was so distinctive. I also wore colored contacts and body makeup to cover any scars or whatnot. Alice actually insisted that I shave off all pubic hair as well which had been a major fight between us but she was right to demand it since my normal crop was always a very unique copper color. My chest was already hairless naturally so that wasn't an issue. She usually put temporary tattoos on me as well to help me look even more different and used some weird industrial makeup to hide my real ink. My own addition to the process was using fake accents or simply pretending to not speak English at all. I speak seven languages fluently so it's not a real stretch.

I was still lost in thought when we arrived at my estate. The ladies, as well as Sam and Seth, all lived in houses near the main one so it was a convenient set up for us all. One wing was dedicated to offices for me and my closest associates so I usually worked from home, only going to the office a couple of days a month. My conglomerate was the most successful entertainment and technological company in the world so I was able to be as eccentric as I wanted. At 26, I was considered one of the most powerful men in the country.

I had actually built myself as a brand for the past ten years so that the company would have a face. After my parents' deaths when I was 16, I was able to have myself declared independent and begin running the company. I was already finishing two masters degrees by that point and had been the force behind our most successful ventures for five years prior to that so the board had no problem letting me take the reins.

Yes, I was a little freak of nature. I had been deemed a prodigy or "the mind of a generation" at age six when I managed to start solving complex equations that stumped a lot of academics. I ended up being privately tutored by experts because I was so far ahead of the curve. Anything I read, I understood and remembered verbatim. Unfortunately, being a child genius is a lonely existence. I didn't really have any friends until I went to college at 13. Thankfully I had grown enough to look about 16 so at least I didn't stick out as bad as I would've. By 15, I was fully grown and became quite popular with the ladies. My roommate was the one who turned me onto cock, but thinking about Luca always depressed me so I tried to shift gears mentally.

Alice met me at the door with complaints about genius needing time but eventually managed to get drawn into her creative process enough to stop harping on me. We were going with a dark and dangerous look tonight so it was fairly easy for us to get things moving. My bronze hair was dyed a dark brown and slicked back in a weird sort of 50s pompadour. I wore contacts to darken my jade eyes to a deep brownish-black. My mask covered most of my face with only my jaw and mouth really left exposed. Alice also painted tattoos on my back, arms and abdomen while hiding the real one on my side. I wore motorcycle boots with special black pants and a black satin vest.

Her pants design was freaking awesome. I had a cloth pouch in the front to hold my cock that would simply untie on each side to lower and release me from confinement. She had built in a slit so my asshole was easily accessible. I only ever fucked men at these things with the exception of Alice or Rose so the modifications were very welcome. She even included a belt that held a ton of condoms, my preferred lube and a set of handcuffs and the key. I wasn't planning any bondage but the effect was nice.

There was a strict condom policy for everything including oral sex so pregnancy shouldn't have been a worry but I've had too many women try to land the billionaire by pretending to be pregnant. Unfortunately for them, I always wore double condoms so it was pretty much impossible. Only one was actually pregnant when she told me and I had pictures of her bare-backing a basketball player so she eventually fessed up. That was the last straw for me though because she was actually someone I thought really cared for me so it hurt when I found out she was trying to land a payday.

After that debacle, I withdrew somewhat from the public eye and only ever attended charity or work functions with Alice, Rose or one of their closeted friends. I also stopped fucking any women but my two best friends out of pure frustration. Thankfully I love cock so it wasn't a hardship. Well, it wasn't a sexual hardship but I could admit, if only to myself, that I was still that lonely freak of a boy who wanted someone to love him.


	2. Not Your Ordinary Party

**A/N: Major lemon alert.**

**EPOV**

Tonight's party was at a lush mansion completely outside of the city. Security was always top notch with fingerprint scans and other checks. Every single person was checked electronically for cell phones or other devices which were prohibited. These parties were as safe as we could possibly make them for our guests which was the reason for their legendary status. Even the most public figures could come and indulge in some serious fucking without fear. For our sakes, we only admitted attractive people. If someone wasn't attractive, they weren't allowed.

I always arrived at the back for my own peace of mind, so I was able to enter the party room and observe for a few moments. A number of people had already started screwing, so the room was redolent with the sounds and smells of sex. I wandered over to the group that were dancing and waded in to the throng happily.

Tonight I was Rafael from Portugal. I would pretend to only speak minimal English so I could get away without people trying to pump me for information. Some attendees liked to try to find out who else was there. It was discouraged but you can't always police everyone, so I liked to keep things simple for myself. Portuguese wasn't exactly a common language around here.

I sidled up to a gorgeous man with blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and a kilt on. He was nearly my height of 6'4", so he was a good fit for me to grind up against him. He pushed his ass back at me and then reached back and grabbed my own ass. Fuck, he had strong fucking hands. I wanted him and I damn well would have him.

No words were spoken as we grinded together on the dance floor. We moved sinuously together without any fumbling or stepping on toes. I wrapped my arms around his muscular chest and began to stroke him up and down on the bare skin I found. He smelled like all man, making me drool a little. I leaned my head into his neck and began to kiss up and down his taut skin.

"Mmm…fuck man, you feel amazing." His voice was low, husky and decidedly Australian. Yum. He instantly became "Aussie" in my mind.

He reached between our bodies to feel my cock, so I thought I'd give him a show. I turned his body around and then reached down to untie the strings holding my aching cock in my pants. I fell out as soon as they were loose, popping free and standing proud. I know how impressive my dick is so I wasn't surprised by his swearing and staring. At over nine inches, I was a rarity even at these parties.

"Mmm….I can't wait to fuck you." I smiled at him and turned around. He had planned to grind into my ass a while but my movement to pull the sides of my pants open and expose my asshole stopped him. From the corner of my eye, I could see him staring down at my little pucker with hungry eyes. He reached out one finger and started to stroke it but stopped when he felt the moisture there, so I shook my head and just waved a condom over my shoulder. I had pre-lubed and was ready.

I dropped to my knees in front of him and lifted his kilt to find him bare underneath. I ripped the condom wrapper open and then put the tip of it in my mouth before lowering my mouth to his cock. I pushed the tip into my mouth slowly so that I was unrolling the condom with my mouth as I brought him inside. He was cursing and I felt other hands as they began to grope my body hungrily. This trick always got me admirers. He was about 7" long, so he didn't expect me to keep going to the base, but I did with a happy hum.

"Fuck." I took a few seconds to enjoy the feel of his hard shaft in my mouth before I stood up and turned around to begin our grinding dance again. He put one hand on my hip before using the other to spread my asscheeks wide. I felt him hesitate at my entrance which was a nice gesture but unnecessary. I loved being fucked rough. Aussie finally pushed his head into my pucker causing that fantastic burn that never got old.

"So fucking tight. If you weren't the sexiest fucking thing I've ever seen, I'd swear you were a virgin." He started to rock back and forth slowly but I wasn't having that. I slammed my hips back at him, causing his cock to sink into me fully. I could feel his balls smack my ass and relished the sensation. We began a grinding dance that had me panting in excitement. A large man only wearing a cape came forward and began to grind up on me in the front while kissing up my neck and feeling my chest. I preferred not to kiss anyone on the mouth, so I moved away from him when he went there. It wasn't uncommon to have this rule, so he knew to keep going. I always gave my partners nicknames so this guy became "Vlad".

The cock in my ass began to grind up into me harder as my Aussie got more and more invested in his fucking. Vlad, the caped man, reached down and began to pump my dick in time with the music. I felt another set of hands caress my chest and noticed a slight man had joined our group. We continued to dance and fuck slowly as a unit. Eventually I wanted more though, so I pulled another condom from my belt and bent down to put it on my caped dancer. Once it was seated, I bent in half, poking my ass backwards to give my partner better access and then took the man in front of me into my mouth in one harsh plunge. His cock was only average sized but I pretty much loved any dick in my body so it didn't really matter. I began to bob up and down with a crazy fast speed before deciding it would be better to drop to the ground. I was able to communicate this by lowering my knees and the three of us all went down together.

Aussie began to pound into me a bit harder but I wanted to feel more, so I turned and said, "Harder" in my accented voice. He grinned at me and clenched my hips in his hands harshly before hammering his hard cock in and out of my ass with enough force to push me forward. I pulled Vlad's cock back into my mouth before he got too crazy with his rhythm, so I was able to use my movement to make his blow more enjoyable for us both.

Aussie began to curse low and sexy as his pace faltered a bit. I knew he was going to come so I pulled off Vlad and nodded at him with a smile. He happily picked up his pace again and was soon coming in the condom on a low string of curses. When he pulled out, I made a sad sound of protest which garnered some chuckles from our audience. It was too fun to fuck with an audience. A dark skinned man started to caress my cheek before murmuring an inquiry in French. I nodded at him and felt his hands stroke down my back before he began to finger my asshole.

Vlad was slowly coming undone as I sucked him off with a hard rhythm. I knew he was seconds from coming, so I raised one hand from the ground and reached under his ball sack to stroke that magic little spot of skin. He clutched my head tight seconds before I felt the condom fill in my mouth. Normally, having someone fill my throat was a highlight for me so it was always a bit of a letdown to have to blow someone over a condom but I understood why it had to be that way. He leaned down and kissed my forehead before tottering off for a rest.

The dark man behind me who I've nicknamed Onyx began to feed a fairly impressive cock into my tight taint. I could feel that he was large and thick and moaned loudly at the feel of him stretching me wide.

"Merde! You are not even loose after he reamed you. Fuck…it's the tightest thing I've ever felt!" His exclamation was loud enough to get some cheers. Yeah, I'm good. I decided to enjoy being fucked for a few seconds rather than start blowing someone else. Onyx didn't hesitate to start pounding into me harder than the man before him. His cock hit my prostate every fucking time due to the angle he was using. I started to raise up a bit so I could jerk myself but the slight man from earlier had returned and begged to suck my cock. Yeah, he literally begged.

"Please?" I nodded before pulling another condom out of my belt and putting it on. I always brought my own and tonight I had brought 20. Slim, as I've decided to call him, got down on his knees and began to lick up and down my sheathed erection. I watched his thin lips as he raised to the tip and began to wrap his mouth around my girth. I was a bit big for his smallish mouth but he seemed to like the sensation so I didn't bother protesting. I grabbed his reddish hair with one hand before pushing my other hand down his back and leaning a bit so I could finger fuck his ass.

Onyx was seriously going to town on my asshole. He was gripping my hips so hard, I'd have bruises but I loved every fucking second of his thrusting. With one man fucking my asshole and another blowing me, I was almost in heaven…wait…now this is heaven. A third man with pale blonde pubes and a nice sized dick stood in front of me with his legs straddling Slim. Malfoy, as I'm dubbing this one, slapped my face with his meat before rolling on a condom and opening my jaw.

Fuck…I love it when a man takes what he needs from me. I dropped my hands to Slim's head and just nodded up at Malfoy to encourage him to fuck my face hard. Onyx brushed a hand up my back and actually pushed my head on the newcomer's cock. This was perfect. I sucked Malfoy in with a growl and began to bob back and forth frantically. I decided to encourage him further by stopping and nodding my head a bit. He took the hint and held my head still with both hands before he began to push back and forth into me at an ever increasing pace. His fucking was harsh and real which is all I could ask for right now.

I closed my eyes and focused on the sensations flowing through me. First was Onyx's hard shaft sliding in and out of my ass so fast and hard that our skin made loud slapping sounds. Second was Slim's hot little mouth wrapped around my cock and moving up and down. Third was Malfoy's dick pushing in and out of my throat forcefully. The sensation of being filled and filling was too much. I came in the condom with a moan of pure hedonistic pleasure. My sphincter clenched down on Onyx too tight for him to withstand so he too came in a series of short humping motions. Malfoy was spurred on by the sounds of completion we had made and simply held my head still with my face buried in his pelvis so that he could hump my face until he came in the condom.

My partners moved away one by one so that I was able to let out a contented sigh for only myself to hear. I hopped up, feeling rejuvenated from so much fantastic sex and wandered over to get some water. Even flavored condoms weren't exactly yummy to suck on, so I needed a change of flavor. I had a few people watching me so I leaned against a table to decide on my next partners. Hmm…meh…everyone here is hot so I think I'll just find somewhere to perch and then wait for whoever wanted me….well, wait for men who wanted me. I was not interested in any of the women that I could see here but that's normal for me.

I finished my water and walked back over to a platform that was slightly off the floor. I had relubed at the bar so I just dropped down and sat some condoms next to my leg while pushing my ass in the air. Immediately I saw a burly man with chaps on head my way. I nodded happily and turned my head to watch him grab one of my rubbers and suit up. I turned back forward only to come into contact with another cock. This one was peeking out of a fig leaf, but I could tell he was going to be a mouthful. I grinned up at him and pulled another condom off my belt before getting into my groove.

**BPOV**

Holy mother of God…that was just…unh. I could not take my eyes off of the tall toned man that was getting gang banged by any number of men but loving every second of it. I felt a hand start to brush at my skirt and slapped it away like a pesky fly. I was only interested in one person here tonight but I may have a bit of an issue there since he only seemed to want men.

Hmm….oh fuck me. The man he was blowing must've come because my guy was currently completely visible to me. His head was thrown back in ecstasy as a large man pounded into him fiercely. My mouth watered at the sight of his gorgeous penis hanging proudly down. I thought men that big were a myth or a product of special effects but fuck if he wasn't real. I was rubbing my thighs together desperately as I watched his closed eyes and open mouth let out a loud moan of pleasure as he came into a condom while another man jerked him off.

I watched him as he stood up perfectly at ease like he hadn't done 12 different men in the past hour and a half. That was just unnatural but I loved it. He walked over to a low sofa where two women were engaged with each other. His friends were a happy couple from all appearance and he merely sat next to them while they enjoyed each other with the sweetest smile on his face. He was happy they were happy. Huh.

This isn't good. Even through the disguise, he's beautiful. I imagine that with his real eye color he would be devastating to be close to. And that hair….it's kind of criminal to dye that gorgeous mop of his. Fuck. I'm in so much fucking trouble.

How am I supposed to blackmail this guy if all I want to do is cuddle him?


	3. Angel

**Song belongs to Jason Mraz, ****_Butterfly_**

**EPOV**

I grabbed my whiskey and walked over to some low couches where Alice and Rose were sitting together with their hands in each others pussies. We were alone for a moment, so I simply relaxed back and enjoyed my best friends' pleasure as they each came.

"Fuck Babe, that was hot as hell. I came twice while we watched you get gang banged. You seriously have no idea how many people were watching you over there." Rose leaned over and kissed my cheek sweetly before relaxing back and stroking Alice's bare tits lovingly. Alice chose to lean down and lick Rose clean before she too leaned over and kissed my cheek as well.

"Thanks dears." She grinned at me before lounging back with a happy sigh.

"Hold the fucking phone." Huh? "Who is that morsel?" Rose was staring at someone across the room and she rarely was impressed so it had to be good. I turned my head and stopped dead in my tracks.

She was breathtaking. I've never actually been into the whole naughty schoolgirl fantasy because it always seems pervy to me to lust after someone pretending to be underaged. I take it all back now and just have to say…fuck.

She was a tiny thing, smaller than Alice's 5'3" with dark hair that hung in two very long curly pigtails. Her skirt was just long enough to cover her ass and was a blue plaid number. She had on white thigh highs that were tied with satin ribbons and patent leather Mary Jane's with a little heel. The shirt was a super tight white button up that did nothing to hide her braless state but did highlight the largeness of her breasts which was significant on such a small framed person. There was a very ornate and heavy looking cross around her neck that hung down just above those breasts. A white mask with lace covered her face but left soft full lips free to smile at me.

Fuck…she was smiling right at me and there was something almost shy about it. She will be mine.

"Rafael. Rafael!" Rose was smacking me to get my attention. "Jackass! I think she wants you but you never do ladies here. I could set up a back room for you? Maybe we can share?" I growled lowly at her which had both my best friends blinking in shock. "Or not."

"Sorry. I have no idea…I mean I like the idea of watching her with someone but I need her to be doing it with me not alone." They stared at me like they thought I'd been taken over by pod people. I may have been. I don't do women anymore and certainly don't kiss them like I want to so desperately do to her. The thought of pounding into her bareback has my fully erect cock leaking precum in a river.

My little angel was shifting a bit uncomfortably but still completely dressed which was rare at this point in a party. Maybe she was a late arrival or more of a watcher than a doer. I could tell she hadn't had anyone tonight though since she was so put together still. Oh hell…she was dancing. I guess she likes this song because she just started to smile a bit and closed her eyes before moving her hips in ways that should be illegal. My cock was actually pointing at the little minx like she was due-fucking-north. I only sort of heard Alice mumbling to herself next to me.

"Why is she so fucking familiar to me? Damn it…I hate that feeling." Rose was soothing her but I couldn't look away to ask what was going on.

"Fuck it. I'll regret it if I don't try. I'll let you know about the private room." I didn't even look at the girls before standing and walking towards her.

I hesitated a second as a woman came up behind her and tried to dance and grab at her tits. Is she a lesbian…it certainly wouldn't stop me but I was curious about her reaction so I stood to the side to watch a second…what the hell?

**BPOV**

I love this song…it's so fucking raunchy. I had a nice second of imagining the god-like man dancing with me so I decided to go with it and just closed my eyes to get lost in the lyrics.

_I'm taking a moment just imaginin' that I'm dancin' with you_

_I'm your pole and all you're wearing is your shoes_

_You got soul, you what to do to turn me on until I write a song about you_

_And you have your own engaging style_

_And you've got the knack to vivify_

_And you make my slacks a little tight, you may unfasten them if you like_

_That's if you crash and spend the night_

"Hey!" Some woman was trying to feel up my tits without an invitation. " .now." She looked at me all sad for a second before sticking her hand up my skirt. I jumped up in fear. Stupid gut reaction. She just stared at me.

"I don't do women." The groper gave me a dirty look before waltzing away.

A large hand touched my bare arm suddenly but I didn't jump or move. I couldn't have if I wanted to at this point. It felt like electric pulses were shooting up my arm and straight down to my girly bits. What?

I looked up and then up some more until I met the dark gaze of my target for this evening. His eyes moved back and forth between mine and his hand on my arm with a puzzled expression. Yeah, you and me both Mr. Cullen.

**EPOV**

"Um…" She was so adorably uncomfortable all of a sudden. I had moved quickly when I realized it wasn't just distaste she held for the woman who had touched her…it was fear. That's a bit of a strange reaction to a woman's touch but I didn't stop to question it at all when I felt the need to run to her rescue. She had gotten rid of the lady already though.

Now I was just staring at those dark chocolate depths and my large hand on her arm in shock. I would've chalked it up to static but we were still connected and the weird pulsing was still there.

"Oomph." I stumbled into her suddenly as a large man grasped onto me from behind. Now, granted I had made myself completely available to anyone earlier but I was clearly focused on one person now and hadn't even moved into a fucking position. I felt him probing my ass clumsily and looked over my shoulder. Shit…a drunk.

"Goonnaaa fucks you so good…" I sighed which had my girl giggling again. I turned and shook my head at him in refusal but he ignored me and grabbed onto my cock in a not so nice feeling kind of way.

"Eee!" Ok, so not so manly but you try responding when your dick is being attacked. I saw Rose on her way over and noticed security with her. Thank fucking God. The man in front of me suddenly squealed and released me. I looked down to find my little minx with her hand pressed around his in a weird way.

"Pressure points hurt like a bitch, no?" He was pleading so she let go in time for security to escort him out. Another man came up to talk to me and I automatically responded in Portuguese. Huh…didn't think that one through though because now my lady would think I couldn't understand her. I shook my head at him and he wandered away all dejected-like. Another little giggle came from beside me.

"So, do you only do men?" I wanted to answer but had to take a second to collect myself because she had asked me in Portuguese. "Or would you prefer Spanish?" She asked that one in Spanish.

"I enjoy women occasionally too but only rarely." I answered in French to play with her but she countered in Japanese.

"How does one get onto that exclusive list?" She had understood my question in French and had formulated a response in Japanese of all things? Holy shit…who is this woman?

"You already have a place if you want it." I chose Italian for its sexiness but unfortunately she didn't seem to understand it.

"Sorry." She spoke in English but had a cute little smirk going on from our game. "Don't know that one…Italian?" I figured the gig was up but decided to try one more time in Mandarin to fuck with her.

"Yes. Though I am intrigued by how you know so many languages…are you a spy?" She giggled and answered me in a language I didn't understand this time.

"Holy shit…it's like watching some weird nerd mating ritual!" Rose was still beside us which I hadn't noticed. By the jump the little one gave, I'm guessing she didn't either. I saw Rose suddenly soften a bit at the obvious nerves of my companion. "I'll leave you two to it then…er…Rafael?" She looked at me out of the corner of her eye. "There's a private room in the back if you'd prefer. I think you're breaking too many hearts out in plain sight if neither of you plan to share."

My angel giggled at her statement before nodding at Rose. Rose took off with several very curious looks over her shoulder.

"Shall we?" I asked in Portuguese for appearances sake. She nodded and linked her small hand with mine as we walked to the back. I have no idea why but holding her hand just like this was even more intimate than anything that had happened here tonight. The back room was actually a pool house out back but she didn't seem scared to go alone with me there which I found odd.

"I'm uncomfortable with women touching me…it's a weird quirk. I don't mind your touch though." I guess I must've been easy to read because she answered before I could ask. Normally I'm impossible to read due to my years in business. It's bizarre and a bit uncomfortable that she seems able to see what I'm really thinking. "Does pretending to speak Portuguese or any of the others actually help? I can see how it might be useful given the chattiness of some of those people."

"Yes, but how do you know I'm not really foreign?" She smiled at me when I answered in flawless English.

"Your friends don't speak Portuguese but you were talking with them freely and that lady talked to you in English. It's not apparent unless you know those things." She once again read my expression because she kept talking immediately. "I overheard one saying something about Portuguese being a weird language to choose."

"Nosy little pixie." I was muttering. Her silvery laugh made me smile because it sounded so sweet and genuine. I have no idea who this woman is but I want to know more and not just for tonight.

**BPOV**

We were still holding hands as we entered the pool house. It was luxurious to the extreme which made me a little nervous. Oddly, Edward…or Rafael as I should call him tonight…was rubbing my hand soothingly without realizing it.

"So, Angel, I take it this is your first time?" He smiled at me so sweetly that my breath caught in my throat. Fuck…I can't do this to him. He looked at me in concern when I didn't answer so I had to keep talking despite the nervous breakdown I was having inside.

"Angel?" He lowered his eyes suddenly and quirked those lips to the side shyly. Oh God…please be less sweet and adorable!

"Um…yeah…sorry. I give people nicknames in my head at these things. I just thought you were an angel in the middle of a den of iniquity so…"

.Life. I came to the instant realization that I can't hurt this man no matter what. I took a deep breath before answering.

"I'm no angel, so please don't…"

**EPOV**

She looked so sad all of a sudden. What the hell? Being called 'Angel' is a bad thing?

"You are to me."


	4. Sugar & Lemons

**A/N: Ya'll have been so sweet in messages that I decided to give you a little more Angel and her man tonight. Enjoy! **

**BPOV**

"You are to me." Ok, is it crueler to tell him now or later? Oh fuck it all. I need something good to remember when everything goes to shit.

"What shall I call you then?" I smiled back up at him and he seemed to relax seeing it, though the concern didn't abate from his eyes. I really wanted to see his real green eyes up close just once but I couldn't ask that of him.

"Maybe I'm the devil?" His smirk was pure sin. I wanted to bite it but I noticed he didn't kiss earlier and I figured he'd stick to that mantra. Damn. It would've been fucking awesome to have this gorgeous, sweet man as my very first kiss.

"Hmm…let's see…I don't think you're the devil. You have too big of a sweet heart to be evil." Poor Edward looked shocked at my assessment. I knew that he had a rep as a hard ass in business and a very closed off person elsewhere so I guess he figured he wasn't sweet at all. "You are sweet, you know. I think I'll call you 'Sugar'." His laugh was amazing.

"Ok then, Angel." Hell, he can call me any damn thing he pleases as long as he doesn't stop touching me. "So, this is your first time, right?"

I nodded but didn't say anything else.

"Mistress Selena only selects new people who are either very elite or very promising. I think you're one of the promising ones given that you can translate and answer a ton of languages. How many do you actually speak and where on earth did you learn that?"

We talked quietly for almost half an hour just holding hands and sitting on a couch. We discussed languages and how they both just came easy to us. He talked a bit about being smart and how it's not always easy. I'm guessing my expression gave away that my high IQ had been a bit problematic which he'd understand as well. Music, books and even global market trends were touched on as we talked. His cock was soft now but still bigger than most others. I didn't have to try as hard as I'd thought to not stare because he was just so fascinating.

"Please don't think I'm feeding you a line when I say this but you are seriously one of the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen." I couldn't look at him after he said that and knew I was blushing. "Oh fuck…that blush is just more beautiful."

"I could be totally freakish under this mask though…did you ever wonder about that at these parties?" I can't handle it if he talks sweet to me like that.

"No. Selena only selects attractive people. It's one of her rules." He smirked at me cheekily. "Angel?"

"Hmm?" I was rubbing his hand with extreme fascination.

"May I kiss you?"

I stared in shock.

**EPOV**

Ok, so not the reaction I was expecting. I'm not completely off base here, I know it. We had just managed to have a long discussion about all kinds of topics in the middle of a very loud sex party so I know she's interested. What did I say wrong?

"Did you set rules for yourself before you came? I usually do, so I'd understand." Well, I wouldn't given the strength of what I was feeling but I'd try.

"Oh. Well, yes, I did but that's not why I'm shocked. I just noticed earlier you didn't want to be kissed." Hmm…watching me?

"Oh really?" I couldn't stop the suggestive look if I wanted to so I just went with it.

"Yes…don't act all coy there Sugar. You love being watched, and I must say that it was a spectacular sight." I grinned at her use of my pet name. I can't wait to hear her call me 'Edward'.

Wait…I want her to know my name now?

Oh fuck…of course I do. I've never felt like this for anyone before so I had better admit to myself now that I want to see her way more often than this one time.

"It doesn't bother you?" I was curious since she seemed to shun the touch of women if she was bisexual, curious or just a straight up heterosexual woman.

"No. I enjoy seeing men together a little too much, actually. It's not all that common outside of parties like this to find men who mind fucking in front a woman or even bisexual men who aren't totally creepy." Good point…I'd hate to see this little lady end up with some of the weirdos that cruise out there. She seemed to take safety seriously which I admired.

"Too much?" I was curious about that statement.

"Well, I prefer to watch men together rather than a man and woman. Not that I don't want men sexually, I do…it's just…" I put my finger on those lips of hers to silence her babbling.

"I get it. It's impressive you know this about yourself. I've known a lot of women who find bisexual men disgusting or can't handle the thought of sharing a man sexually with another man." I wasn't saying it as a test but I was somewhat anxious for her reaction nonetheless. It is important for any woman I become serious with to be ok with me needing men as well.

"I don't think it's an issue for me as long as I'm involved. It's quite a turn on, actually." Oh fuck…she's perfect.

"Perfect." Whoops. Ok, so I seem to be breaking all my rules with this one. Speaking of…. "What were your rules tonight?"

Blushing again…my cock noticed too apparently and started to firm up instantly.

"Well, no kissing." Damn. "Oral is fine with a man but no vaginal penetration. I hadn't planned on anal either but…" Uh….what? Please let her mean that she's reconsidering.

"But? Would you like to revise those rules?" I really wanted to make love to her.

Make love? No. I won't freak out about this shit now. I'll worry about my mental commentary later.

"Perhaps…" Ooo…coy looks lovely on her. "I think I might revise that rule about anal and perhaps…kissing." She whispered the last part next to my ear before standing up and starting to walk towards the bed. When she sat down, I realized that her skirt was so short I could see under it with her sitting like that. She smiled at me like a siren before spreading her legs.

I have seen the Promised Land and now I need to visit.

**BPOV**

He stood up to his impressive height. I started to wonder if there would be mechanical issues with a 6'4" man getting it on with a woman over a foot shorter than him but lost that thought when he started to move towards me. He stalked like a tiger with smooth steps until he landed in front of me. He shrugged off his vest before dropping his hands to his pants to open them up. He didn't need to remove them for any sexual activity but he was taking them off anyways.

"Ohhh…." He smirked at my little sound of pleasure but stood quiet and tall in front of me completely bare. He had lost the boots when we came in so he was completely naked…and hairless. His pubes were gone which actually didn't bother me at all. I kind of liked it.

I stood in front of him and reached up to the buttons of my shirt. I have no idea why I was nervous. It's not like I've never been naked in front of anyone before. No. I won't think about that.

When I finished with the buttons, I left the shirt open. My panties were crotchless but I couldn't remove them or the skirt without showing him things I couldn't so I left them on as well as the thigh highs before climbing back up and sitting in the middle of the bed on my knees. He crawled on the bed towards me before stopping directly in front of me and sitting on his own knees.

He had looked like a predator as he crawled forward but now he was back to being sweet as he raised both hands to cup my face.

"Don't move." I was barely breathing so movement wasn't a problem. I kept my eyes on him as he leaned towards me but didn't want to see the fake color right now so I closed them right before he reached me. He brushed my lips so gently at first that I thought I could have imagined it. His second pass was a bit firmer. He came back another time with full pressure and I just snapped.

**EPOV**

Her lips were divine. She was all softness and warmth under my mouth. She barely responded at first but after I fully kissed her finally, she suddenly rocketed forward to wrap both arms around my neck while her lips moved forcefully over mine. I wrapped my arms tight around her and began to stroke her back down to her ass frantically. It was the single most erotic kiss of my entire life…possibly even the most erotic experience.

I brushed her mouth with my tongue which had her opening to me on a sigh. I breathed her in before stroking into her mouth to brush her tongue with mine. We kissed until neither of us could breathe before breaking away. I couldn't stay away though so I began to kiss down her body to her delectable neck. Her head was thrown back as she panted.

I became aware of wetness on my leg and realized she was straddling my thigh and rubbing on it as we kissed. Fuck…she was so wet. Her hands went down to my ass to grab on as she rode my leg. I needed more.

I pushed my angel backwards onto the bed and lay on top of her nestled right where I most wanted to be…in between those slim white thighs. She had said no vaginal penetration but maybe she'd change her mind like she did with the kissing.

I lowered one hand to the bottom of her skirt wishing she had been willing to part with it so I could have her completely naked under me. I managed to push it up enough to be able to reach the fine sprinkling of soft down that was in above her mound. I was happy to see that she wasn't completely bare because I prefer a little bit of fur on my kitties. I brushed at her lower lips with my hand before finding her clit and starting to rub in small circles.

I dropped my head down to those magnificent breasts. She was a C cup or maybe even D despite her tiny size and was completely real. I moaned as I massaged her soft mounds with one hand but had to have more. I lowered and kissed all around one nipple before finally taking it in my mouth. Her nipples were a deep rosy color and pebbled beautifully under my touch. I sucked happily at it before switching to give its mate the same attention.

My hand was still rubbing her clit which had my angel writhing under me with her eyes closed and mouth open. She suddenly bucked up into my hand on a cry as I felt her get wetter with her release. I let go of her tit with a pop and dropped so that my face was level with her wet pussy and began to lick frenetically at the fluid there.

"You taste so amazing, Angel. It's sweet but also kind of spicy like you are, love." I went back to licking her but kept my eyes trained on her flushed face. She grabbed my hair in her hands and held on as I began to thrust my tongue into her tight entrance. Jesus! If I didn't know better, I'd swear the girl had to be a virgin to be that tight, but we had a strict no virgin policy for these parties so I know she was experienced.

I had a sudden irrational fit of rage at the thought of someone else in _my_ Angel. I decided to erase anyone previous from her memory by literally fucking the names away. I moved my hand so that I could push a finger into her and was shocked at the response I got.

**BPOV**

Oh fuck. He's…unf…

Edward had rubbed me to a climax unlike any before lowering down to lick my pussy. I had had this done before but chose not to acknowledge it in my mind so I felt like a first timer. I was ramping up for a second orgasm when his finger started to push in me. Everything came crashing back to mind and I scrambled away from him instantly.

"Angel?" He stared at me in confusion and worry. "I….I…I am so sorry. I didn't realize…I…" Oh fuck. He was going to go away and I'd never get to have this again.

"NO!" He looked heartbroken and I realized he thought I was sending him away. "No. Stay…please…just…um…I can't do that, ok? I can't explain either but I want to keep going with other things. Will you stay?" He stared at me intently with a look that I couldn't read before nodding.

"Of course I will. But I need you to explain though." I closed my eyes because explain is the one thing I absolutely can't do. Ok, Isabella…lie.

"Yes. But, after we play a bit more, ok?" I opened and looked at him with pleading eyes.

**EPOV**

I can't tell if she's lying to me or not just now. I decided to take her at her word but my brain was still racing through possibilities. Some medical issue? No…she'd not be here if that was the case. Was she…raped? No. Our psych check would've found that in the application process. I was going to have to trust that she would tell me later.

She crawled over to me and pushed me to my back before laying on top of me. Her little body was warm and smelled divine with a kind of cinnamon and almond scent. She smiled shyly before lowering her head to kiss me sweetly. I got lost in the flavor of her and the feel of her soft curves on top of me. My hands roamed up and down her body without plan as she began to kiss down my neck. She stopped at my nipples and stared in wonder at the piercings there. I saw her lick her lips before latching on to one with her mouth and rolling the little barbell around her tongue.

"FUCK! So good, Angel!" The piercings made me super sensitive so her very agile tongue had me moaning and shifting under her in want. She pulled up and grinned at me happily.

"I may just have to get some of those." Oh fuck me. She was dangerous enough naturally but with piercings she'd look like pure sin. I just nodded dumbly which had her giving me a delighted little giggle before she continued south. I didn't want her to feel obligated to give me oral and I almost managed to tell her that but she was licking her lips and staring at my cock like a starving man at a feast and I lost all vocal abilities.

She lowered her head but still looked up at me through her lashes before she stuck out that little tongue and delicately licked the tip of my cock. She lapped at me while staring into my eyes for a minute or two before she opened her mouth and wrapped it around the very tip. Her happy little hum had me swearing and closing my eyes in delicious torment.

**BPOV**

Ok Isabella….let's do this. I had done this with fake cocks before so I knew the basics but feeling a hot and hard real dick in my lips had me desperate for more. I fucking loved the feel of him in my mouth. He was huge. I mean like nine or ten freaking inches huge but I didn't care enough to worry. I knew I could deep throat a dildo and just prayed I could do this beautiful beast the same way.

I lowered my mouth bit by bit. He was thick but not obscenely so. It was manageable for my mouth and throat which made me happy. Sucking on his cock was turning me on more than I ever imagined possible. I pulled up before lowering back down further and then further again. I was nearly all the way to the base when his eyes opened up again and stared down at me.

I think it was shock that he was expressing but I wasn't sure. When I finally maneuvered my throat in the right way to be able to swallow around him, he began to curse and clutch the sheets desperately. I guess he doesn't get deep throated often if ever. I'm thrilled to give him this.

I began to bob up and down faster and faster while alternating between going all the way down and only going part way. He was mumbling incoherently and staring wide eyed at my progress. I was humming in pure joy at the feeling of having him come undone under my mouth. The humming seemed to be the last straw though because he just freaking lost it and was writhing and arching his back seconds before I felt him shoot down into my throat in a large gush of fluid.

Yes, I had sucked his cock bareback which is a stupid thing but I couldn't stop myself. On the bright side, I knew for a fact that he was clean since he was a regular member here. I had also seen his lab results so I had no worries on that score. He suddenly flopped back on the bed limp. I released his cock from my mouth and crawled up to make sure he was still alive.

**EPOV**

"Sugar?" Small hands shook my shoulder but I was having problems moving. "Sugar?" Her voice had gotten fearful so I knew I had to give her some sign I was ok.

"Angel…." It was a sigh of relaxation. She giggled before snuggling into my side happily and stroking my chest gently.

This tiny woman had just deep throated my over nine inch cock like it was nothing. She didn't gag or flinch at all. I mean, yes I can do that easy but I'm a bit of a freak. It's uncommon to find someone that can swallow me easily without any gagging or choking. She's my own personal sex goddess. Now I _have_ to get inside that pussy because she has to be amazing from the inside. About five minutes later, I had finally started to recover enough to stroke her sweet head. Her pigtails were in complete disarray so I pulled the elastics out and started to run my fingers through her hair. It was incredible. Free from bindings, it was long enough to hit her waist and full of large curls. Her quiet sigh let me know she was completely content with the action.

After another few minutes, I rolled so that I could hover over her. I wanted her to take off the mask which would mean that I needed to take off mine. I started to reach up but she stopped me and shook her head.

"Not yet." Huh…ok…does she not want to know me? "I want something else first."

"Anything." Her eyes suddenly looked ancient and sad as she stared up at me. I wanted to do everything in my power to make them sparkle again.

"I want to feel you inside me. Will you take my ass, please?" The groan that tore out of me was slightly desperate but being asked to fuck a girl's ass with a sweet "please" thrown in was a deadly combo.

"You sure you can take me?" I wasn't being cocky this time. I actually was concerned given her tiny frame.

"Yeah, big boy. My favorite toy is just a bit smaller than you so I'm sure we'll be just fine." And now the image of her fucking herself in the ass with a vibrator has taken over my brain to make me turn into a complete sex machine. I was hard already and couldn't wait.

"Well…let's get you ready then, shall we?" I grinned at her before kissing her again and lowering in between her legs.

**BPOV**

I wasn't lying. I had a very nice sized dildo that was just a bit smaller than him. It was a hidden secret that I loved to shove it in my ass on a daily basis. I looked around and was pleased to see his belt had landed on the bed. I grabbed the lube and tossed it down to him.

Edward was lowered back between my thighs with a happy smile on his face. He kind of looked like he was truly happy and that was something that made my heart ache to see. I understood his loneliness better than he could imagine so a happy Edward made me feel oddly peaceful.

I handed him the lube and then pulled my legs to the side so that they were nearly in a split.

"Ooo…bendy…" His grin was pure seduction so if I wasn't already wet for him I would have started to leak anyways. He lowered his head and began the assault on me with his tongue and teeth. His hand stayed firmly over my pelvis and went nowhere near my vagina which I was grateful for so that we wouldn't lose momentum. I would have to leave him soon and I wanted this with him first.

He brought me to climax twice before he deemed me ready for penetration. He had been rubbing one of my thighs above the stockings absently while he worked me, but he gently fixed the sock back in place before moving. It was a simply sweet gesture that had my breath catching in my throat.

When he rose above me, I decided I wanted to do it just like this. I just raised my legs in the air and held them close to my body. His gaze was carnal and knowing as he looked at my very exposed pussy and asshole. I was glad that he went right for my pucker though.

Edward bent over me and kissed me as he pressed against my hole firmly. I'm not going to lie. It burned like hellfire at first. I didn't mind the pain though because it always meant pleasure wasn't far behind. The head slipped in which had me sighing in relief. Everything else was easier after that for me. He pulled his head up and looked into my eyes while he rocked very gently above me. He was searching for a sign that he should continue so I nodded at him and released my legs to wrap around his torso.

His presence in my body was pure joy. The hard hot length of him slid smoothly in and out on a rocking wave of motion until finally he was completely inside me. He stayed still a moment to let me adjust which I appreciated. He was the first human to ever be in me and I needed a second emotionally if not physically. I could feel my body adjusting and knew that this experience would be incredible.

**EPOV**

Jesus fucking Christ. This is easily the tightest ass I've ever had the pleasure of fucking. I knew she had at least played with plenty of dildos but she felt tight enough to be a true virgin. I loved that thought which was a ridiculous double standard but still true for me. I'd never tell her that though.

I leaned back down to kiss her sweet mouth while I ran my hands from her knees to her ass to get a good grip. She began to rock up into me so I started to thrust shallowly in and out. My girl was not going to settle for easy though. My Angel started to push up against me faster and faster until we were smacking against each other over and over again with grunts of exertion and little mewls of pleasure coming from her and me both.

I got lost in the intensity of fucking her ass and just went with the insane emotional surge that had me kissing her desperately and then starting to beg before I realized it.

"Please…your name…I need it…PLEASE!" She opened her mouth as if to answer but couldn't after I managed to rub her clit with my pelvis. She screamed out loud into my mouth as she came violently under me. I lost all reason and just pounded into her as my own orgasm rushed through me like a wrecking ball.

I started to collapse on top of her but managed to roll so that she was perched on me so that I wouldn't crush her. Her little body was shaking in the aftermath of her peak so I just let her relax while I closed my eyes and flopped both hands next to my head. Jesus fucking Christ…

**BPOV**

I whimpered a bit in my throat when I started to have control of my body again. Edward was under me in a sated heap breathing deeply as he came down from his own high. I knew it was time, so I pulled the item I had snuck off his belt free before playfully grabbing his hand. He didn't open his eyes at all as I moved his hand slowly upwards but his lip quirked up in the start of a smile. It was the smile that opened the floodgates on my tears but I managed to keep them quiet enough to not alert him.

I snapped the cuffs onto the bed frame first before quickly pushing them onto his wrist and hopping away. He opened his eyes in shock and began laughing.

"Angel, even I need a second before I'm ready to play again." His laughter ended quickly as he saw me crying beside the bed. He tried to move but I stayed out of reach and hastily pulled my shirt back on though I didn't even try to button it. "Oh God. Did I hurt you? I'll get help…just stay with me, please!"

I shook my head but knew I couldn't leave him thinking that I was hurt or damaged by his loving. I managed to take a deep enough breath in between silent sobs to answer him.

"I'm not physically hurt. But I have to go…I was supposed to hurt you but I can't! It's not right and I can't do that to you or anyone else. I have to leave now before it's too late. Just…I would've given it to you if I could. You probably won't understand that but I needed to say it. You probably won't see me again…hell, I have no idea what will happen now, but just…remember this, ok?" He was staring at me in pure shock but I continued as I reached up to pull the elaborate cross from around my neck and tossed it next to him on the bed. "Remember this: 'Our treasure lies in the beehive of our knowledge. We are perpetually on the way thither, being by nature winged insects and honey gatherers of the mind.'" I took a deep breath praying that he would understand when I needed him to and looked at his beautiful body one last time. "Thank you for being my first kiss Edward."

And then I ran.

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffy but it'll have you all ramped up for the next chapter tomorrow. I've prewritten about 15 chapters so we're good to go on daily updates.**


	5. Remembering

**APOV**

The party was winding down but we still hadn't seen Edward return. Damn…that's impressive, if that woman managed to keep his attention at a sex party for so very long then she must be something else. Gah…that thought brought back the horrible feeling of something on the edge of my brain. There was something about that woman that just bugged the hell out of me for some reason. I swear it's like I've seen her before.

"Ali! Jesus…those two people just did something totally freaky with a diamond necklace and you didn't even notice. What is going through your head, Babe?" Rose was lounged outnext to me on the chaise completely comfortable with her nudity and relaxed. She had managed to distract me for the past however long by actually engaging another woman to play with us. She was a lovely Latina lady around early forties, so it was a change for both of us. As we rarely invited anyone but Edward into our sexual lives, it was definitely diverting.

"Sorry sweetness. I just can't stop wondering about that woman. There was something so familiar about her and I feel like I'm missing something but I can't figure out what. It's driving me nuts. Plus we've never seen our friend have that kind of reaction before so it was definitely intriguing." She snorted at my frustrated little shake but started to run a hand up and down my leg soothingly.

"Tell me about it. When I went over there, they were talking to each other but in a totally nerdy slash sexy way because they kept answering each other in different languages. I didn't think anyone could know as many as Edward." I sat up in shock. Multi-lingual….beautiful…the outfit…

"What? How many Rose? Like one or two?" She stared at me like I had lost the farm but answered anyways.

"No, more like seven or so. I think she knew one or two he didn't."

"FUCK!" I hopped up and took off running with Rose trailing behind me. "No. No. No. No. No. No. NO!"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?" She was freaking out because I rarely if ever got this scared.

"I've met her before!" She grabbed my arm but I kept moving until I was at the door of the pool house.

"No." We were too late.

**EPOV**

What? I mean….WHAT? What the fuck just happened? I unfroze the second she was out the door but it was no use. I was fucking handcuffed to the bed frame which appeared to be solid iron. I pulled and screamed and shook the damn thing desperately but it wouldn't give. She was getting away from me and I'd never see her again!

"No…please no…" I was begging for divine intervention at this point and ripping the bed apart. I sunk down after five minutes of frantic action.

"No." I looked over to see Alice and Rose in the doorway. Alice looked…well Alice looked destroyed.

"The key has to be here somewhere…help me get free. I have to find her before she's gone for good!" Alice didn't move though. She just started to cry quietly. Rose stared between her wife and me for a second before running towards me. I heard a yell of triumph and saw her bend to the ground.

"The key is right here. It's ok!" She ran over and started to unlock me. I was planning to take off running but Alice's words stopped me cold.

"I know who she is, Edward. You don't have to chase her down. I know exactly where to find her." What the fuck?

"What the fuck, Al?" Rose stared at her partner in shock. "That's what's been bothering you since we saw her? You know her?"

"Where? Where can I find her, Alice?" She shook her head at me and didn't want to answer but my pleading look must've broken through.

"Her name is Isabella Swan. You can't ever go after her though."

"The fuck I can't, Mary Alice!"

"Edward, just shut up and listen!" Her voice was so sharp that I stopped. She had never used that particular tone with me before.

"You can't go after her because you could lose everything! We may already have a major problem." Rose was a statue next to me as we stared at Alice while trying desperately to understand.

"Where does she live, Alice?" I had to know.

"She lives at the Sacred Angel Home for Girls. She's 16 years old, Edward."


	6. Angel's Past

**EPOV**

"No."

"Edward…"

"NO!" There had to be a mistake. My Angel was not a…a… "Noooo." My protests sounded broken even to me but I couldn't stop saying it over and over again. Alice rushed me and latched on tight around my neck as did Rose. They held on while I fell apart.

**APOV**

My best friend shook underneath me. I felt Rose's tears on my face and knew she could feel his tremors as well. My shoulder was damp under his face which meant that he was crying too.

Wait….Edward was crying? Edward doesn't cry…ever. I think he did when his parents died but that's the only time in the history of our friendship that he's cried. He truly cares for her.

"Ok…let me explain what I know. Can you listen?" He looked up at me with sad eyes but nodded while he ran his hands over what looked like a necklace.

Here goes nothing…

**EPOV**

"Your mother worked with the Lowood School to help orphans and other disadvantaged kids be able to get a private education, as you well know. Well, we set up that scholarship fund to continue her work five or six years ago. I usually ask for information on the prospective and current recipients so that we have it for our files because I like to have a back up. Well, about four years ago, a file came to me that was different. The girl was listed as 12 but she was maturing already from the photo I saw. She was a little beauty even then, though I remember she was so sad."

"Wait…you've met her?" She hadn't seemed to recognize Alice which wasn't entirely shocking given the disguises but still. Wait…"She knew who I was the whole time." Alice stared at me in silent sympathy. "She called me Edward right before she ran away…I don't understand…is it a scam?"

"I don't know…it doesn't make any sense with what I know about her. I didn't actually meet her at all. I remember her especially because she's so much like you. Edward, her IQ is pretty much equal to yours if not higher." Rose stared at Alice curiously and I admit that I was intrigued. I have a ridiculously high IQ that is pretty rare even among reputed geniuses. "She was brilliant. Her application listed that she was found in an old hotel with the body of her mother at age 3. Her mother had OD'd and little Isabella managed to politely call 911 and inform them that her mother was convulsing on the floor." Huh. I didn't want to feel sympathy since she was trying to scam me in some way most likely but I couldn't help it. "She apparently spent a lot of time alone in trashy hotels and such so she had taken to watching a lot of TV. Sesame Street just didn't cut it though from what I read in her file. She told the medics that she saw a show on TV where they said the person shaking was 'convulsing' and remembered what it was called. They were…impressed. Apparently, even at three, she was quite astonishing."

"She was placed in foster care after no record of her father could ever be found. She actually had a lot of problems in school until she was about 10 because she was so far advanced from everyone else. They put her in special ed at one point because they decided she was developmentally slow." Seriously? I was looking at Alice with complete confusion.

"I know, right? The girl was smarter than her teachers so she was bored all the time. A student teacher actually figured it out and demanded that she be tested. Well, she placed off the charts, so they began to give her placement tests to figure out what to do. She tested out of middle school and most of high school by 11. She pretty much lived in the library from what the teachers said. She's got a photographic memory, as well. The same student teacher was the one who put together the application. The private school would supervise her schooling and co-ordinate with local universities to supplement her education while she was a minor. I signed off on it immediately because the transcripts of her interviews and her answers to some of our questions were so classically _you_ that it was uncanny." Alice smiled at me sadly. I realized at this point that we were all still buck naked and it was actually fucking cold in here. We hastily pulled on clothes.

"Let's continue this in the car." I nodded and followed them out the back and down to the waiting area where Sam was lounging. He smirked when he saw us but must have realized something was wrong from our tear streaked faces.

"What happened?" He went on instant alert.

"We were breached but in a weird way. I need to finish explaining some things to Edward. Can you call Alec and ask him to meet us at the house?" Sam nodded and we all piled in the car to ride the distance home.

"Ok, where was I? Oh, yeah. By 13, she was already way past high school level and had done every single advanced placement course they could find which left us with a problem. As a ward of the state, she had nowhere to go but to stay in the orphanage. She wasn't ever adopted or fostered after age 9 and no family was looking for a teenage genius to drive to college every day. The private school kept her on their roster for a while which always bugged me but I never really got involved. They did manage to get her in online university classes as well as a half day of full college courses. She was into a second bachelors and was eligible for a masters by 14. The foundation funded her college studies but they started to balk a bit at such high level involvement. I actually think I asked you about this once…"

"Yeah, I remember. I told you to give the girl whatever she needed but didn't know her name." I was paying for her schooling and care but never knew who she was. And now, I've had anal sex with her and was fall….NO!

"Yeah, right. I decided to go by the private school one morning to see if I could meet her. She was bored with online classes so she had taken to learning languages during her few hours there in the mornings. I watched her from outside the door for a while rather than interrupt her because it was interesting to see her in action. I only saw her face for a second but I remember thinking that she was just truly beautiful. She was translating quotes and proverbs into different languages as a challenge to herself. I saw her translate some seriously obscure stuff in seconds. I didn't want to interrupt her flow though, so I left and just made sure the school knew to contact me with anything she needed. That was about 18 months ago, so she'd have been about 14 or 15 but she hasn't grown anymore from what I can tell. I saw a picture of her last fall when she got her masters in electrical engineering and computer sciences but it was blurry so I couldn't see any differences."

"Wait…she has masters degrees in electrical engineering and other stuff and is 16? At least she sounds like an adult, if that helps Edward." Rose was trying to be kind but it wasn't working.

"What I don't understand is _why?_ Why would she breech our security and come to the party like that? I mean, if it was just because she's a freak in the sheets, it would be one thing but there's something off here." Alice was almost talking to herself but it resonated with me for some reason.

I thought back…

_"I was supposed to hurt you but I can't! It's not right and I can't do that to you or anyone else. I have to leave now before it's too late."_

"I was supposed to hurt you? What the fuck?" Alice and Rose stopped to look at me.

"Edward, tell us what happened." Rose was in business mode now.

"Well, apparently I ass-fucked an under-aged girl and…..

_"Thank you for being my first kiss Edward."_

"Oh fuck."

"SPEAK!" Rose was pissed at my absent brain.

"We talked for a long time about all kinds of things from music to books to business strategy. I thought she was brilliant and perfection…my _Angel."_ Rose sniffled a little which brought me back. "I went to kiss her…" Shocked gasps interrupted me.

"You don't even kiss us!" Er….

"I…" Alice stopped me though.

"It's ok….I think we need to hear it all." Her eyes were very somber on mine but patient.

I told them everything about our physical activities which had them both trying not to say "awwww" or cry. I know I sounded like a love-sick fool but I was still battling shock.

"And then she handcuffed me to the bed and hopped up. I saw her crying and was so scared. I thought I had hurt her but she said no…she said…that she was supposed to hurt me but she couldn't. She apologized and said….

_"I would've given it to you if I could."_

"What did that mean? RRRRRawr…I don't understand, Angel!" I know she wasn't there but I needed to say it anyway. My best friends let me rant. "Her first kiss? It doesn't make sense." I ignored the shocked gasps beside me and continued to mumble. Oh…

"Oh God…." It hit suddenly. "She's in trouble. I have no idea what kind or how but she's scared of something. She was crying so hard but never faltered in her plan to leave. She said I wouldn't see her again and then…she said she had no idea what would even happen now…"

"Do you think she's in danger somehow?" Rose had her war-face on and I knew they weren't going to let this go.

"Yes….wait! She quoted Nietzche to me right before she left. She said to remember it…said it twice actually and then threw the necklace toward me and ran." I looked down at the necklace in my hands. It was strange in makeup with a jewel in the center of the cross.

"Hold the phone…" Alice crawled over to me and grabbed it while staring at the clasp curiously. "I've never seen a clasp like this before….e_ver._ It's custom but the cross isn't vintage or anything."

"Electrical engineering…." I grabbed it back and looked down at the cross. Thankfully we had just pulled up to the house. I ran inside at top speed and to my office/work room. I sank down and started to examine it closer…

"Ok Angel…I'll figure it out."

**A/N: Yes, this story had more cliffies and suspense but it makes it so much fun! We'll catch up with his angel next but I will warn you now that it's going to get darker for a bit while Bella's situation comes to light.**


	7. Angel's Hell

**A/N: This chapter deals with abuse. Please be advised.**

**BPOV**

I managed to get off the property undetected and took off running through the trees. I was still crying but the sobs had died down to silent tears. I couldn't stop though. If I stop, I don't know if I can get up again. I got to the bike after a few minutes and took off through the streets after slipping on sweatpants and a shirt. It was the beginning of February and very cold, plus I don't think my previous attire would be safe to travel through the city in at any time of day let alone the early morning hours.

The helmet shielded my face from the wind and helped me stay calm for some reason. I knew I'd explode when I was in my room and it would be bad.

The small dormitory where I lived was dark and silent at this time of night. I had shut the bike off a block back so I could sneak onto the property. I need some time to figure this shit out. It had taken me nearly two hours to travel back here due to the low speed of the scooter engine in my bike so I was freezing and exhausted. I pushed the bike into the shed behind the dorm and dropped down onto the cot where I slept.

The tears came harshly and more frantically now. I let it out in long sobs while I curled up on the hard cot. The dorm was overcrowded to the point of transferring girls out. My deal with the dorm mistress was made to keep the three I considered my charges safe and together. It was the only reason I had never run away. I had no other way of protecting them than to be the one who stood in front and took everything in their stead. And so, I lived in a shed in the yard with one space heater and an extension cord for electricity. They were worth it.

I had tried for years not to get attached after I ended up in the system. Foster families came and went quickly and my heart couldn't take getting attached and saying goodbye over and over. I landed here when no one knew what to do with me anymore. To my knowledge, there aren't a lot of actual orphanages anymore. It seems like it's mostly the foster system. The girls on these premises were ones that didn't make it for some reason or another in foster families. We had some hard cases but my girls weren't like that.

At 12, Angie was the eldest of the Martin sisters with Katie following at ten and Sophie being the youngest at age 6. The three entered foster care four years earlier after their parents died in a car accident. They never lasted in foster families because you couldn't usually find one that would take all three and if they weren't together, they ran away to find each other. It tended to cause them to be sent away frequently, so they landed here as a unit.

I have no belief in God at this point despite our forced Catholicism from the local nuns who manage the larger dorms. God can't possibly exist if three angels like that ended up in this hell. I'm not being overdramatic or hormonal to call my existence hell. It just is.

Victoria James was the house mistress of our small dorm and the administrator for the site with Social Services. She had come to us four years ago and made no effort to hide her hatred for this assignment. Shortly after she arrived, one of the older girls that I had actually befriended disappeared. Victoria claimed she ran away but I knew she didn't because we were planning a movie night that night and my friend never would stand up someone she cared about. I got curious and started checking. It didn't take long with my special skill set to find out what was going on.

I had been fortunate enough to receive scholarships to attend university classes but they still didn't keep me busy enough to stave off boredom, so I started to learn computer skills that weren't entirely legal. I became a hacker…a fucking brilliant hacker actually. I've gotten so good that I've had trouble finding challenges lately….well, until Edward's security but…I can't think about that.

I used my hacking skills and my talent with engineering to plant cameras and copy the hard drive in Victoria's private sanctum. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way what went on there before I could review the info.

Victoria called me into her private area one night and gave me some wine. I was a bit confused but took it to keep her talking. She had slipped something in there though that had me drunk as shit right away and more pliable to her bidding. Victoria likes teenage girls that don't have womanly bodies yet and I became her very favorite plaything. I remembered everything but couldn't tell anyone. She had explained in great detail what would happen if I did and unfortunately, I figured out she wasn't lying when she said she could make me disappear.

The tapes and her hard drive showed that she was in contact with some scary ass people that could take a teenage girl and make her vanish into thin air with basically no one noticing. I had certainly suffered her attentions with no one the wiser for years. I almost had my whole escape finally planned when Sophie and her sisters joined our dorm. Sophie came up to me her first day here and decided I was her new favorite person. It's impossible not to love Sophie. I fell hard and Victoria noticed. Pictures of Sophie, Katie and Angie in the shower or their rooms were shoved in my face with glee along with threats to sell them to the highest bidder like my first friend at the orphanage who had been sold. She would keep the pictures safely hidden somewhere as long as I did her bidding without complaint.

She never breached my virginity and was adamant that no one else could either. It was the deal breaker. She did like to play with my ass but I learned to turn it all off when she or her friends started. And I collected tapes. I collected tapes of her snorting cocaine off my naked body or shoving something in my ass or forcing me to give her oral sex. I nearly turned them in once but then realized quickly that I have no clue who to trust anymore. She has connections high up in the government and I didn't know how to get around them.

So, I bided my time and took classes and protected the girls. Thankfully, I developed quickly and grew breasts and a more womanly figure by 15 or 16. Victoria only likes very young looking girls so she had basically stopped calling on me for sexual relief. Now, she just called me to let out her sadistic side but I endured it because I refused to let her win. I realized about three years ago that I couldn't let her take all sex away from me. If I didn't learn to live with my abuse and survive it, she would win no matter what. I read a lot of books and studied the psychology and even attended some support groups across the city anonymously. I had developed enough to look over 18, so I was able to get some help without arousing suspicion in the wrong people.

And…I taught myself to enjoy sex. I had told Edward the truth that I enjoyed ass play. It was a shock to me after dealing with her abuse but if I controlled the circumstances, I freaking loved anal sex. And man, do I love it more now! No…not thinking about him….

I discovered my serious love of gay porn in a weird way but I was glad I did. I mean, I could take or leave other things and certainly didn't like lesbian porn but I did love me some man-sex. Tonight had been the first time I saw it live and in person, but I knew it was something I'd never give up in my mind. No matter what happens…

And reality crashed in again.

"What do I do? What? Think Bella!" Sophie had started calling me Bella when we met and it sort of stuck in my mind. Everyone but my girls called me Izzy so it was a special name to me.

"Who can I possibly send the information to without ending up tipping off the bad guys? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" Oh.

"Edward."

**?POV**

I watched the young woman come onto the property and was puzzled when she went to a shed instead of the building where she supposedly lived. Why would she be there? I followed silently and found a crack in the wall. She was a little thing and seriously gorgeous from what I could see which surprised me. I wasn't surprised to see a beautiful girl. I was surprised that it affected me at all. I looked in the crack. She had to be cold, why would she….

Fuck. She lives there. A cot with a sleeping bag, some kind of electric kettle and other paraphernalia proved she lived right there. I saw the extension cord running from the building to the shed and shook my head in anger. Something is seriously wrong here. I stepped away to call the boss and tell him I had the target in sight before pulling out the camera and aiming it through the crack. The girl cried for a long time but had recently begun to pace and curse like some of my old associates.

_Information? Bad guys? _What the hell is going on?

"Edward." Her voice was definite and strong. I watched her move instantly into action as she whirled around the place on some kind of mission.

"Oh God, Angel…" The smooth voice sounded in my ear from miles away where he watched remotely.


	8. Watching & Waiting

**A/N: Hello! I'm so excited by the amazing response to this story. I suck at responding for reviews but I squee every time I get one so they are much appreciated. I'm giving you two chapters today because I've a busy week ahead and may not be able to post as much. I hope you enjoy!**

**Also, big thanks to Jane, Angela and Ciume for helping keep me understandable!**

**EPOV**

I stared down at the necklace for a minute before I grabbed a few things from my toolkit. Alice and Rose brought me warm clothes and briefed Alec with all the information. A mug of tea appeared next to me suddenly.

"Alec wants to get a security expert in to offer support. The firm is one he's worked with before. Actually, the owner is Alec's only choice to succeed him when he retires in the next few months. He's used him before and trusts the guy implicitly. We can have him wait at the girls' home for her to return. Let's just hope she goes there." Alice was tapping on her phone as she spoke.

"Name?"

"Jasper Whitlock. Former military special forces that opened his own security firm. Alec says he got tired of homophobia in the military and retired young." A gay soldier? Hot.

"I see what you're thinking Edward and he is mighty yummy." She turned her phone towards me.

"Damn." He was fine but I was too distracted thinking about the puzzle before me to really appreciate it.

"Yeah, if I didn't love Rose, I might try to convert him." She was trying to make me laugh which was sweet but I just didn't have it in me.

"We don't have to worry about where she is. I can tell you in…" I glanced at my laptop screen to see if it was done loading. "Now, actually."

"Explain." Alice is the only one who can scare me with just a tone of voice. Right now she had a scary calm thing going on that was worrying.

"I may have slipped my GPS tracker into her stocking." I stared at the screen as the dot moved while it found her location. It was just a tiny little thing so I doubt she even noticed.

"The GPS tracker is for your protection in case of abduction, EDWARD! NOT TO TRACK HOT WOMEN!" I tried not to audibly gulp at her fury. "THAT IS STALKING YOU NUT!"

Ok, yes…technically it was but…

"Look, I got a weird feeling earlier in the evening off of her like she was almost scared to have regular intercourse. I was worried and slipped it in while she was….distracted." She snorted at me in annoyance. "I didn't even really think about it when I did it. It seemed instinctual. If she found it, it'd just look like a piece of jewelry that got caught on the stocking." It was made to be inconspicuous.

"As creepy as you sound right now, I'm glad you did it." She was huffing a bit but nodding. We looked at the screen together. "Looks like she's heading towards the home. I'll send him there. He may be able to get us a video uplink of her arriving and settling in so we'll know she's safe."

I turned back to the necklace and stared. The clasp almost looked like…I pulled the magnifier up and stared in amazement.

"Son of a fucking bitch!" I hadn't said it but I agreed wholeheartedly. Alec was leaning over me and staring at the clasp of the necklace in fascination. "Your new girlfriend built that?"

I did not laugh. He gave me a sheepish look but motioned back at the object we were studying. The clasp actually was a kind of battery. If she fastened it one way, it would be completely dead and undetectable to any surveillance equipment or scanners. Once through security, she could refasten it so that it actually looped together and became some sort of energy source.

"Brilliant." I shook my head with a small smile. My Angel was a smart girl. Alec took a text and then made a call while I started to carefully dismantle the necklace.

"He's there. He says…ok, Edward I need you to promise me something." Uh, what? Alec was looking at me sternly. "Promise me no matter what your reaction, you'll not run off to that home without figuring this shit out first. He will watch for danger, I swear. Actually Jasper seems a bit protective of your girl and he's usually the non-involved type." I nodded and tried not to let his assessment of the expert's involvement with my girl worry me.

"I promise." He nodded at my answer and took a breath. Alice and Rose suddenly popped up behind me and I felt a hand on each shoulder.

"She didn't go into the dormitory but around to a small shed out back that has an extension cord running to it. She seems to live there." Wait…what?

"She lives in a _shed_?" Alice was indignant. "How can Social Services ok that?"

"He says she's been crying a lot and seems to be scared, so I'd imagine there's something going on behind the scenes. He's going to send a video link now." He looked down and hit some buttons on the laptop to open a connection.

"Whit? You there?"

"Yeah boss, I'm here. I'll show you what I can through one of the cracks in the wall. She was crying a second ago but she seems to be thinking a little clearer. I'll be silent while I go closer." A lot of bouncing and blurry images passed before the image stopped on the inside of a garden shed. There was an old lamp and a cot with a sleeping sack on it as well as some personal belongings.

"She has to be so cold." Alice had started crying again but kept her words to whispers as I was staring at the screen.

My Angel had hopped up and was pacing frantically.

_"What do I do? What? Think Bella!" _

"Bella." I sighed it out on a whisper. It suited her perfectly. She paced like a caged cat and worried her hair endlessly.

_"Who can I possibly send the information to without ending up tipping off the bad guys? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" _

What. The. FUCK?

_"Edward."_

"Oh God, Angel." I said it loudly because I was desperate to understand what she wanted me to know. I watched as she burst into a flurry activity. She ran over and threw off all her clothes as she rifled to find something warmer. She dressed in a rush before she moved to the side again. She pried up a board and pulled out a hand built laptop and a ton of gadgets that I really would love to explore before setting up on the cold floor. She crawled over to a couple of rusty tools before pulling one down and dismantling it to pull out a small hard drive wrapped in plastic.

"Clever girl." Alec is rarely impressed but he seemed to find her fascinating. She went to work on her computer with fast typing and occasional scribbles on a notepad.

"Whoa." My laptop just pinged an alert that we had some activity on one of my custom built firewalls.

_"I know you'll find this…come on Edward…figure it out!" _

She was mumbling to herself and suddenly I got it all. I turned and pulled apart the necklace and looked at the gem under the microscope. It was a camera with a SIM card attached. She had recorded the whole thing but couldn't use it for blackmail and gave it to me to deal with instead. I loaded the SIM card on my other computer and saw the password screen pop up at me.

_"Remember this…_"

"Nietchze!" I typed in the name and suddenly had access to everything she had recorded on the camera. It would have been damning to me. Thankfully Alec couldn't see it but Alice and Rose could. I had the volume muted but they continued to stare in fascination.

"Damn." Rose was impressed.

"Shut it." I wasn't in the mood to be teased for my sexual prowess. I had turned back to the security alert and then sent a message to the origin of the hack.

**Hello Angel.**

I saw her head snap up and a triumphant smile light her face seconds before her response came. I wasn't going to tell her just yet that she was being watched. Let's see what happens.

**Hey Sugar…get my gift opened yet?**

Testing my skills? Smarty pants.

**Of course Angel. Valuable gift.**

She smiled a bit sadly at the computer screen. I was curious why she gave the evidence of our encounter to me.

**Treasures usually are. Care for another gift, Sugar?**

She stared hopefully down at the screen. Knowledge truly was her treasure as it turns out…knowledge of me which she gave up. What was she sending me now?

**I love gifts, Angel. Treasures especially.**

"We're not going to understand this are we?" Alec was slightly confused. Alice started to explain the quote but I was too focused on the screen to care.

**Big treasure, Sugar. Care for it well.**

A file was suddenly pushing at my security but I let it through. Fuck me, it was huge! Even with my equipment, I may need a bit to decode it.

**I'll care for all your treasures, Angel.**

I wanted her to know she's not alone. I saw her stare down at the laptop sadly as tears started to pour out of her eyes. I ached to hold her but knew I couldn't or at least I shouldn't.

I saw her head snap up at a noise behind her and was concerned she had heard Whitlock. I didn't want her to be scared so I would tell her if she found him but she only went to a cell phone and stared down at it with a determined expression on her face. She looked at the laptop again and ran over to type something else.

**Sorry, Sugar. It's time to fly. Protect it. Protect them. For me, please.**

Them? And why the fuck is she seeming to say goodbye to me?

**Can I watch you fly, Angel?**

She snapped her head up and looked around curiously. Did she figure out I'm watching? I want to give her a chance to let me in more.

**My wings are nearly done, Sugar but if you can fly, watch from above. Sometimes the whole holds the key, love. Goodbye.**

"Wait…goodbye? What?" Alice was screeching over my shoulder at the screen.

"She doesn't think she's coming back, Ali." Rose pulled her wife back into her own arms to hold her tight.

"Stay on her Whitlock. From above…from above…" I trailed off thinking.

"Wherever she goes, try to see if there's a wireless network or a signal that is transmitting to her laptop. Can you scan for that?" I was hoping this guy had some serious hardware with him.

"Yeah boss-man, I can do that, but this little lady is far and away above even my tech skills. If she protected the stream, we're screwed without the password. Do you know it?" He was speaking very quietly and the feed watching her was gone. I was going to have to trust him to protect her.

The other one was Nietchze but….

"The Geneology of Morals."

"Excuse me?"

"That's the password. She quoted something earlier that came from that book. The whole…"

"…holds the key. Clever little one. I'll access it as fast as I can but I imagine it will take a bit to find."

"I think she still has the tracker on her because it's moving so I'll keep an eye on where she goes as well. Keep in touch." I hung up and turned to decoding the massive file she sent me. She had changed the password to the same one from the necklace so I was able to enter it but had to piece together some decrypting stuff on the fly.

"Ok, I'm going to have to hire her fabulous ass if she can write this kind of code in a freaking shed with an extension cord alone." I heard Alice snort behind me but knew she'd be on board. At least then I could keep her in my sights until she was legal….BAD EDWARD! Stop thinking that way….gah.

"Edward? Did you just slap yourself?" Rose was trying not to snicker at me losing it in front of her. "Mind wandering down snug little roads?" I was going to have to kill her if she didn't let up with the sex jokes.

I couldn't stop shifting in my seat. I had a bad feeling for some reason and was going crazy stuck here while she was off doing who knows what.

"Fuck this shit. I'm going to meet up with Alec's guy." Alice was going rogue and I was going with her.

"Me too. Grab that, that, that and that." I grabbed a bunch of other stuff as well and trotted straight outside. Sam had a black SUV parked in front of the house that I've never seen before.

"Thought you might need to move incognito, Edward. Where are we going?" He patted his gun happily as he shut the door on our group and all the tech stuff. Alice gave him the orphanage address and we took off into the night.


	9. Chapter 9: Refusing to Break

**A/N: Hello my darlings! Your response to this story has been beyond amazing. If you hear loud squees that transverse space & time, that's probably me when I get a new review or favorite or something. **

**This chapter features Bella being abused physically, so please be aware. **

**Thanks again to my awesome prereaders. You know who you are ladies!**

**BPOV**

I knew he'd get it. I just didn't expect him to be online and willing to chat with me. He still calls me his Angel which was sweet considering I had given him ironclad proof that I was sent in to blackmail him. I was planning to stow away all the computer equipment in the usual places but then stopped and shoved everything into a duffle bag. I pulled a plank off the back wall before climbing out and hiding it all in the bushes about twenty feet away. At least the bitch won't want to get her shoes dirty to look too far in here.

Unfortunately, my time really was up. I hadn't been lying to Edward when I said my wings were done. I'm positive she won't kill me but there's no telling how bad this would be or when I'd be picked up for my future role. I needed to buy enough time for Edward to figure some shit out and get in touch with the right people to protect the girls. If I didn't show or brought someone else, she'd go after them right away.

I walked the back way towards the school where we were meeting. It was around 4 am and dead quiet out. I had a weird feeling that Edward was watching somehow and he seemed to hint to it earlier. If he was, I hope he was smart enough to stay somewhere safe.

The private school grounds looked beautiful and perfect but hid a bunch of really ugly things. One of them was waiting for me with Victoria in his office. I slipped in through the holes in the security cameras and managed to get all the way to his office with no worries. He always disabled the internal cameras when he was here on after-hours business so we were free and clear indoors…unfortunately for me.

I knocked twice on the door before slipping inside. They were too anxious for news to be drunk or high so I had to deal with both monsters sober. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Isabella…" Caius cooed the word at me on a low hum. Victoria just glanced at me before going back to filing her nails. "I trust our evening's work was fruitful?"

Our work? Bastard. I hacked that shit and got in to the party that you never had a chance at jackass. Ok, time to act for my life.

"No sir. It was a nonstarter. Apparently what I found was a diversion. Their security measures prevented me from finding out where, when or who. I just returned not long ago from trying to find the location but it was a futile effort." I breathed in and out a bit harsher than normal. He needed to believe I was terrified because I failed _not_ because I chose to ignore their commands.

"That is…unfortunate. This endeavor was supposed to make us a great deal of money, Isabella. Did you at least access client information?" His nearly colorless eyes pinned me in place.

I gulped audibly to show my fear of failing them. "No sir. I wasn't able to breach that firewall." I dropped my eyes to the ground quietly.

"Stupid little bitch…" Victoria threw a bookend at me out of the blue so I wasn't able to move fast enough to evade the stupid marble head.

"Ung." It slammed into my hip hard. Fuck that hurt.

"Indeed. However shall we recoup this lost income, Isabella? Perhaps we can sell your little friends to a high bidder. I believe we have an associate who likes girls about young Sophie's age, don't we Victoria?" His evil smirk had rage boiling in my entire body.

"Oh yes, we do! She won't last long so we won't get that high a price but we can sell the other two as well." Victoria was positively gleeful at the thought.

"No." I wasn't letting this stupid charade continue any longer. I knew what they'd most likely do anyways.

"No? Did you dare to say no to me you little whore?" Caius' rages were weirdly random. He flew at me as he pulled the whip from his back pocket. Victoria grabbed me and knocked into the back of my head enough to stun me. The woman was 6 feet tall as was her counterpart, so I had a hard time fighting. It was fruitless to do so anyway.

She yanked me forward before ripping up my shirt and then yanking my pants down to my ankles. I almost smiled as I remembered Edward's total desperation to remove my skirt. This is why he would never have succeeded. The last welts were still pink and raised around my waist area and just below. I refused to look at the stupid bitch holding me and focused determinedly on the wall in front of me.

The sting was harsh but just shy of breaking the skin. Can't risk scars on the merchandise, after all. They continued around my waist area enough to have me desperate for them to stop. They did but then moved to hitting me with the side of their hands over and over again in a weird chopping motion.

"Yes…no permanent marks, remember Victoria. We need her to look pristine for the buyer." Ah, so someone is already purchasing me at this point. I figured they'd try to sell me regardless. Hopefully Edward would get the girls out before I was too far away so they'd be safe.

They were really whaling on me tonight to the point of make me dizzy with pain. This was one of the worst beatings I'd taken from them.

"Look! I saw this online. Let's try it." That can't be good. Searing heat overtook the welts on my ass. My eyes were overflowing with tears and I couldn't stop the yelp of pain. They cackled at hearing it. Fuck. I hated letting them hear me cry. It let them win a bit more of my soul every single time.

I opened my eyes to see Victoria holding a bottle of some kind of Asian hot sauce right before she tipped in on the raised areas on the front of my pelvis as well. I bit my cheek and desperately tried to cling to consciousness. I tried to imagine his voice for some reason. Why the voice of a man who I'd met only a few hours before should be my salvation, I don't know but it helped me hold on through it all.

"Get out before I kill you myself you worthless little whore." Caius smacked the skin that had just been doused before walking over to his desk. I staggered away and managed to pull up my pants but not fasten them. I started my walk out of the building trying to hold on to anything I could find. I was at the next building down when arms suddenly banded around me and a hand covered my mouth. I couldn't scream but I kicked and fought with all the fight left in me. I knew it was the buyer…it had to be but I wasn't going down easy.

**EPOV**

We were holding on to hope as we raced towards the place Jasper had seen Bella enter. He was on speaker trying to access Bella's feed that he'd discovered coming from the building she'd entered.

"It looks like it's an open video link to a secure website. I'm almost there…" I was nearly there myself with the decryption program so I understood the frantic tone he was speaking in all too well. It was hell the last few seconds before you found something.

"I'm in. I'll beam it to you." He sent it to me and I opened up my screen to see what the hell was going on in that fucking building.

"NO!"

I heard running right as I saw us pull up a few buildings down from the one Bella was inside. On the screen, a man and woman were pouring something on to her skin that appeared to hurt a lot. She was crying but hadn't screamed. Good girl. They sent her away so I could see her staggering out of the shot and jumped out to try to intercept her. She was hurt and scared and I wasn't letting her deal with it alone.

I saw her tiny form clutching the wall a few feet up and ran forward to grab her and carry her to safety. She started fighting me like a wild animal desperate for survival. I finally managed to quiet her by speaking.

"It's me, Angel. Calm down, I've got you." A little mewling whimper came from her suddenly limp form. I moved her so she was facing me to see that I was really the one who had her. Those bleary brown eyes stared into mine for a second before she fainted dead away in my arms.

I knew Sam was next to me, so I didn't move to attack the new figure that ran up to us.

"You got her, boss?" It must be Mr. Whitlock. I nodded and scooped her up under the legs and carried her to the truck as quick as possible. Alice had the back hatch open so I laid her down there and crawled in behind her.

"I'm going to go retrieve her things from where she stashed them. I'll head straight to you when I'm done." Whitlock melted into the darkness like he wasn't even there at all.

"Edward." Rose's voice was garbled on a sob which had me scared. "I rewound the footage. You need to call Carlisle to meet us, Ali. It's bad."

I looked down at my Angel and noticed she was even paler than usual. We passed under a streetlight as I reached out to touch her cheek and my hand was suddenly illuminated.

"Blood." Alice stared at my hand while talking to Carlisle.

"SAM! Go to Carlisle's clinic NOW!" We turned abruptly and headed towards the private clinic that Carlisle had not far from here.

I started a frantic search of her tiny form for injuries. I couldn't undress her without jarring her in the small confines of the back so I settled for trying to find the blood.

"Oh no, Baby." I could see it seeping through her pants. "Please…no." I didn't want to even think that she had been raped with me that close by.

"She wasn't raped…at least this time. I have no idea about what happened to her before. I think some of the lash sites must've burst or something." Rose was leaning over the seat and staring at our unconscious passenger with worry.

We stopped suddenly and the back hatch opened immediately. I braced to fight off someone but saw my kind friend staring in at us all.

"Edward. Bring her inside and tell me what happened." He had switched into doctor mode instantly and was looking her over as I carried her in my arms.

"We can show you. There was a video feed that we didn't see until after we had her out of there." Alice had half the equipment while Rose had the rest. Sam stayed behind to alert Whitlock and Alec of our change in destination.

I laid her little form on a gurney and quickly began to help undress her. Carlisle didn't bat an eye at this development but did swear low under his breath as we pulled her pants off.

"Angel…" Red lines crossed her lower abdomen and pelvis both front and back. Some had burst open causing them to bleed. It must've happened when I lifted her up. "God, I'm so sorry Baby."

"What is that on her though?" Carlisle was leaning down and sniffing the liquid.

"Some kind of super hot pepper sauce. A lot of them can actually be dangerous if not diluted in a recipe due to the heat factor of the peppers…you usually only find them in Asian markets or overseas though. They poured it over the welts. Umm…she also took a marble statue to the hip and they did these weird chopping hits to her torso." Rose was staring at the screen in horror as she recounted all that.

"I. WILL. KILL. THEM."

"We'll help." Alice was stroking Angel's hair. I guess I should call her Bella now since I know her name. Carlisle worked quickly to wash the pepper sauce off the wounds. It was hot to the touch which made us both cringe when we thought about it touching raw wounds.

"Who tortured this girl and why aren't the police involved, Edward?" Carlisle never diverted his gaze from his ministrations but his voice was hard.

"We're still not clear on all the details. She was scared of some authority figures in the public sector so she wouldn't know who to call as far as honest cops. Also, she's 16 and I had…uh…relations with her earlier."

Now, Carlisle Masen is a gentle, peace loving soul so the growl that came out of him at my admission was doubly scary because of its rarity.

"It's a very long story, Carlisle but trust me when I say that Edward didn't know and that there's a hell of a lot we _all_ still don't know." Alice managed to placate him but I continued to get some seriously dirty looks from the gentle healer.

"Sugar?" I smiled a little at her pet name. "Edward?" She suddenly started fighting against Carlisle's hands.

"I'm here, Angel. This is a doctor friend who is treating you." She didn't calm at this announcement at all. This uncertainty and lack of understanding was foreign to me so I was at my wit's end when she finally started to make sense instead of wordlessly keening.

"I have to get back. If I don't, they'll sell the girls. They already have buyers. I'm the only reason they weren't sold years ago. The price they'll get for me will keep them safe long enough for you to find out who to trust with the evidence. Please…I've done so much…I can't stop protecting them now." She started weeping but her fighting was weaker. I lifted her onto my lap despite the blood and everything else and started to rock her gently.

"My associate will watch over them and keep them safe for you, little love, but I need to understand. I was getting ready to look at what you sent when we found your feed and tapped in to see if you were ok. I had to stop to come find you when we saw them hurting you. Tell me, Bella. Please."

**BPOV**

He had removed the contacts at some point during the night so his gaze captured me for a moment.

"So green…pretty." I knew I wasn't making sense. I have to focus for the girls.

"Open the evidence now. I can tell you some but…please don't watch the parts with me in them until I'm out of your way, ok? I don't think I can…I can't handle you watching that happen to me." His eyes were burning with some inner fire as he stared at me. I shifted a bit and cried out when the pain flared into a white hot sear on my lower back.

"Bella?" The other man had pretty blue eyes and a soothing voice. I blinked at him to make sure he was real. "I can help you with the pain, dear if you tell me any allergies you have, ok?" I nodded at him stupidly.

"Uh…allergic to wheatgrass." I shrugged a bit because that's all I can think of and he smiled at me before he turned to a counter behind him.

"Not a big loss there if you ask me." Oh no…

"Needles. I'm allergic to needles." He chuckled a bit but put a soothing hand on my arm.

"Why don't you start your story, sweetie and we'll get your pain managed soon." Saved by my horrid past…ironic.

"Victoria James came on at the home about four years ago. Not long afterwards, my very pretty friend vanished out of the blue. Victoria claimed it was a simple case of an orphan running away but I knew differently. I set out to find out why but she beat me to the punch." I stared at a point on the wall as I related in very general terms some of what she did to me. "A lot is in the file I sent as far as video proof."

I started to explain my girls and the threats to them as well as the pictures of them I haven't found to this day. I zoned out to ignore the hisses and curses of the people around me. I skimmed over most of the gory stuff but got to the blackmail scam they were going to use on Mistress Selena's partiers.

"They kept me around for so long so that I might be able to help them get rich quicker at some point. When Victoria was rejected for membership in the group, she decided to go a different route. The price of their freedom and photos was evidence of people in power at one of those parties." I did turn to Edward for this next part.

"I found all of you and was able to create a shadow guest that didn't alert your systems. It took me about 18 months to get in, so that's pretty fucking impressive, Sugar. I lied every single time they asked if I found specific names or information, so you are all perfectly safe, I swear. Neither of them are particularly intelligent technologically speaking, so I could rattle off some BS about different proxies and feints and whatnot to keep them appeased. When I broke through though, I found the red flag on her name and knew she wouldn't be able to get in at all most likely. You would recognize a rejected person and Headmaster Volturi isn't attractive enough to be admitted. It fell to me. I was to go in and find the most wealthy or powerful person there and perform sex acts on them for the camera." I turned away from his burning eyes in shame.

"So you see, Sugar….I'm no Angel. I'm a straight up whore."


	10. Angel's High

**A/N: Another Friday and another update! I'm really trying to be regulated this time but no guarantees. After the last few chapters, I decided we needed a bit of a lighter note. There may be one more update this weekend. Enjoy!**

_Previously: _

_BPOV_

_"So you see, Sugar….I'm no Angel. I'm a straight up whore." _

**EPOV**

I growled at her as some of my rage took over.

" .Not. ." I tried to breathe in deep because I didn't want to scare her. "You're a 16 year old girl who has been abused and used by people who should've protected you but you aren't at fault, Angel. And you didn't go through with their scheme, now did you?"

"I turn 18 tomorrow." Wait…what?

"No, I processed your scholarship personally and I know you were 12 when it started four years ago." Alice was staring at her with concern because it was not a good thing to not know your own age.

"It started as a clerical error. I saw it and figured it would be just that one mistake and not an issue but eventually I figured out that more than your scholarship information was messed up. By that point, Victoria had claimed me. I was 14 or 15 maybe by then but she didn't want me to fix things because it would give her more time to keep me under her thumb before I became legal and worth less to their buyers. She made me hack the government and change it all legally to make me younger. It was immaterial to me because my age was kind of a joke."

"Huh?" She looked at me incredulously.

"Did you feel 14 or 15 when you were actually that old and already a college student?" Oh yeah…

"Wait, what?" Carlisle was lost.

"Our Bella here is another freaky deeky genius-child. She's got a butt-load of degrees and such already." Rose's weird speaking patterns appeared to amuse Bella because she giggled a bit.

"Explain what you mean by buyer, Bella." Alice was focusing on that detail but I already know.

"They were going to sell you and your virginity to the highest bidder to keep as a slave, weren't they?" My Angel wouldn't look at me but gave a slight nod.

"I tried to tell you it wasn't mine to give." The white hot rage flowing through me at that statement would have made me perfectly capable of murder if either of those two monsters or any of their associates were here.

"Your virtue," she snorted at the term which was a valid point, "er….your actual virginity is yours. It's not just a hymen, love. It's the gesture of giving it so no one can take that gift from you even if they did break the seal, so to speak." I saw Carlisle's lip twitching in amusement at my description but it's the only way I can think of to explain it.

"I have no more virtue, Edward. I didn't let them win completely, though. I taught myself to enjoy certain sexual acts and was able to give you something freely, so that's a win for me in my book." It was a good point but I still felt drowned in guilt. She had been abused and was not healthy enough for her to understand consent fully. I'd have to protect her no matter what.

**RPOV**

I was reading that boy like a Cosmo right now and the idiot thinks he knows best and is going to try to protect little Bella from herself. He's deciding in that huge idiotic brain of hers that she can't be capable of consent at her age and with her past. I think she'll kick his ass six ways from Sunday and I plan to be watching with popcorn and margaritas while she does.

**BPOV**

He has that "I know best" face on right now that makes me want to rebel instinctively. I don't know how I know that about him already but I do. I saw his blonde goddess friend roll her eyes behind his back and smiled a bit at her. I might like that one. The little friendly one is freaking me out a little still.

"Oy!" A sharp prick just hit my hip. I looked down to see the pretty doc's hand retreating with something in his fist. "Sneaky doc…very sneaky. I think I'll like you." He grinned at me in enjoyment but shot Edward a dirty look for some reason.

"Oh don't hate on Sugar for the buttsex thing. He really could not have known my age or even my name at that point." Whoa…these drugs are nice. "BTW'bs Sugar…I love your cock, just so you know."

A strangled cat sound came out of the nice guy holding me. "Not helping, love."

"Ahem." A throat clearing from the doorway had me rolling my head to the side. "Sorry to interrupt. I got all your equipment and have men watching the dormitory to protect your little friends."

"Jesus Jehoshaphat Christ! Is everyone you know beautiful, Sugar?" He was a nice drink of water whoever he was. Blonde with blue eyes and a light tan. "Yummy."

Another strangled cat sound came from behind me.

"Is someone strangling a cat?" The nice pretty doc burst out laughing as did the little one and the goddess. The quiet cowboy at the door tried real hard to not smile. Huh…what was funny? Hmm….is that a rainbow? "Sugar?" An exasperated sigh was my only answer. "Uh…that rainbow over there isn't going to bring any unicorns is it? Those crazy phallic-headed goody-goodies freak me out."

**EPOV**

"How can someone be afraid of unicorns?" Alice seemed genuinely insulted by Bella's fear.

"They steal your kidneys at Candy Mountain." This was apparently a very serious thing. There were a lot of snickers but Whitlock actually burst into loud laughs. Ok then…

"So…how do we alert the nice authorities without alerting the bad po-po? And we need to make sure Sugar-Cock doesn't get in trouble for the buttsex…he may like getting it up the ass from lots of guys but I don't think he'll want to deal with Bubba the toothless redneck making him his bitch." My Angel was turning evil before my eyes….she was trying to embarrass me to death or something.

I looked around the room wildly. Whitlock looked…well, I'm not sure what that look meant. He looked hungry but pissed beyond belief at the same time.

"Ooo…and the BJ. It was my first on a real cock…I did good, eh Sugs?" Oh sweet fucking hell….

"Angel…I will buy you your own country if you shut the hell up!"

"Not Candy Mountain….or Texas…." Ok then… "Besides, we have to focus on you. Maybe we need a code name like…" This is going to suck. "Protect Sugar's Sweet-Ass Project!"

My dearest friends were laughing hard at my mortification. I have no idea why I'm embarrassed since I have screwed everyone but Whitlock in some way or another and had lots and lots of public buttsex earlier…oh hell…it's contagious.

"I know how to protect Sugar's rear door and make sure Bella is protected as well." I don't trust the look in Rose's eyes. This can only end badly. "You have to marry her."


	11. Protecting the Precious

**A/N: Hello again! Sorry this wasn't posted yesterday. I'm a wee bit under the weather. I'm basically sticking to one chapter a week so that I don't lessen my cushion of chapters done, if that makes sense. I had a bit of writers block so I'm behind, but I still have about 5 more done, so no worries. Enjoy!**

**BPOV**

"Marry who?" Huh…Edward seems to have turned to stone. "Are you a statue now?"

"Sugar…aka Edward needs to marry you, Angel aka Bella to protect you both." Huh…

"Nah Goldilocks…that won't work. Edward has to marry some really fantastic doctor who cures monkey cancer or something." Yep…my Sugar deserved the best.

"What?" OH! He's not a statue. Yay!

"What what?"

Edward sighed again and moved so I wasn't leaning back on him anymore. Sad. Oh…ok…now I'm sorta facing him but still snuggly.

"Why can't I marry you?" Huh?

"Well…you're you and the doctor is like saving lemurs or something so she'd be really good, I guess. But she has to like gay sex because you can't live without cock, Sug. And why should you?" I sighed as I pictured Sugar's pretty peen.

"Oh fucking hell." Ahh….Sugar is upset.

"Whassamatta Sug?"

"You are far too good to marry me but I think they're right. It's safer for you as my wife because I have top notch security and we would have an easier time if our previous activities came to light. I'll get you a lemur if that helps…"

**EPOV**

Did I just try to bribe this gorgeous 17 year old to marry me with a freaking lemur? Judging by Carlisle's scowl, I'd imagine so.

"That's not what I meant. I think we should get married to protect us both." I can't believe I'm saying this.

"You can marry me if you'd rather." What the fuck? I'll kill him. "_Sugar_ was apparently in disguise earlier so we can probably do some damage control to make me look more like him….maybe." Whitlock is fired. That's all there is to it. For a gay guy, he certainly seems to be looking at my basically naked girl pretty intensely.

"No…I don't think we could pull that off. You don't make your sexuality a secret so it probably would look like a cover-up." Thank you Alice. I knew I loved you for a reason. "Plus I think Edward would murder you." True but it didn't need to be said out loud, Al.

"Well I'm going to murder someone if you don't stop trying to pressure a drugged up teenager into marriage. Wait til the drugs wear off or I may castrate you myself." Carlisle spoke up.

"NOOOOOOOO! NOT THE PRECIOUS!"

That is so never going to be forgotten. "Thanks Angel…thanks so much." Even Carlisle was snickering. "Easy there doc, I know you're a fan of the Precious as well." He gave me a dirty look but couldn't refute it.

"I'm going to have nightmares of Edward arguing with his dick and crooning out 'myyyy preciousss ' over and over again." Rose shuddered at the thought and I did too though I tried to hide it. Gollum is creepy.

"Don't hate the peen Goldilocks…I know you find it magically delicious too and you're a real dedicated vagitarian from what I've seen." Rose couldn't argue with Bella's very serious statement but I heard a loud snort coming from behind me that let me know Alice was storing all this away for future blackmail purposes. Whitlock started speaking again.

"All of this is fascinating, I'm sure, but we need to decide on a course to take that will protect our girl as well as her little ones while nailing these bastards. Even if you marry her, she'll still have to testify and possibly be in real danger. I can protect her easier with both of you in one place, you're all right about that so I won't fight the marriage idea but we have to move carefully or this could all become a total clusterfuck." He won't fight the marriage idea? Hmph.

"My girls…" High Bella was whimpering in fear. I cuddled her close into my body.

"I'll figure it out, I promise Angel. Let's head to my house to get you some rest while I come up with a plan with GI Joe over there." Whitlock sneered at me. I employ his ass…actually I haven't hired him for Alec's job yet so technically he's a subcontractor. He's a sub who knows all our dirty secrets now…awesome.

**JPOV**

He may be gorgeous but Edward Cullen annoys the hell out of me. I'm not sure why that is but it seems partly centered on the little bundle of woman in his arms. Now, I'm not too worried about little bit's ability to make decisions for herself. From what I've heard about her brain and what I've seen already of her recent life, it's pretty damn clear she's no child and may have never really been one.

Yes, I get that Cullen would understand her better than anyone but I have this insane desire to rip her away from him and protect her with my life. I also have an intense desire to meet the Precious up close and personal but that one makes more sense because the asshole is freaking sexy and I'm same sex-oriented all the way. Or I had been.

I was having a real hard time not staring at Bella's large juicy breasts as the tops peek out of the sheet that Carlisle draped over her. I also seem to want to follow those curvy legs up to….

GAH! FEMALE! I don't do vag! It creeps me out. Breasts actual make me uneasy too so why do I want to suck on hers? I think I need therapy.

The group of us move en masse towards the exit hauling the equipment and keeping little bit covered up nice and tight. Cullen motions me into the car with him as Carlisle drives the two women. Once we set off, I open the laptop and start to look at the evidence Bella has collected.

"Is she asleep?" I don't want to hit play with her awake since she was so uncomfortable earlier.

"Yeah…she's out." I may not like the guy but even I can see he cares about her. The way he looks at her is sweet and would be dangerous for me to witness too often. I don't want to soften up to this jerk.

I hit play but keep the volume super low. The first clip is a bit grainy but you can clearly make out a very slim and less curvy Bella on the screen naked. I glance to my side and notice Cullen clenching his jaw. Younger Bella lays down on a coffee table and just has to submit while that bitch and some other woman do things to her or make her do things to them.

"I can get rid of them and no one would ever find the bodies." I would never have made an offer like that normally because I operate within the law if at all possible but for this…I'd do it. The fact that the idiot loves her is the only reason I felt comfortable enough to offer. I'm sure he's clueless about that fact but it's plain as day.

"As much as I'd love to say hell yes to that, I think we may need them to find out who is buying and trading girls." He sounds genuinely regretful so I just nod and continue opening files. Differing scenes of Bella being used pop up. Some clips are conversations between Victoria and others on the phone or in that man's office.

We arrived at the Cullen compound and climb out after closing the laptop. We need to get her settled before we dive back into this.

**BPOV**

So tired…I breathed in deep as I fought to open my eyes. Edward….

"You smell like sunshine and exotic spices, darling." I nuzzled his neck happily. "Huh. Ow."

He chuckled a bit. "Yeah, you're going to hurt a bit even with this medicine, love. We'll have you in a big comfy bed soon enough. I think Rose offered to give you a bath if you'd like."

I jumped at the thought and just started shaking my head.

"Oh fuck, Angel. I'm sorry…I just forgot. I can help you, ok?" I calmed down pretty much instantly. These drugs kick ass.

"Mmm…sponge bath, Nurse Sugar?" A strangled laugh sounded from his throat which made me giggle.

"Sure Angel…whatever you need." Hmmm….wonder what I can think of to test that theory.

"My precious…" Sleep got me again.


	12. Sexy Beasts and Just Plain Monsters

**SQUUUEEEEEEE! Did ya'll here that around the world? I'm very excited to be nominated for Fic of the Week at The Lemonade Stand! SQUEEEE! Ok, sorry…back to business. Since you guys have been so great as to nominate me, I'm giving you two more chapters! Please go vote because it would be awesome for a poly-slash fic to win!**

**EPOV**

"You are going to be the death of me, Angel." I will not touch her sexually. It's not an option given what I've witnessed from those clips so far. She will be safe and healthy.

"She is going to kick your tail to hell and back, boss." Whitlock seemed oddly cheery at that thought. I growled a bit at him but turned to carry her upstairs.

"Need help, Edward?" Alice desperately wanted to help Bella in some way but I knew my girl couldn't handle it. "No, I've got the little wifey." She giggled a bit at that. "Whitlock has the evidence and is going through a bunch of it. It explains her issues with women touching her." Alice smiled sadly and went off towards the office too.

"Ok Angel…let's get you rinsed." Carlisle had followed me quietly so I was startled to find him behind me.

"We should just run cool water over the welts and then I'll reapply the salve. She can wash her hair tomorrow. There seems to be a lot of it." He was right. Her hair trailed down her back in long mahogany curls. So pretty.

I laid her on the sofa in my room before running into the bathroom and grabbing the supplies. I managed to get her wiped down in long gentle strokes. Carlisle let me do the washing and went to my closet to find her something to wear. He returned with a large soft flannel shirt.

"It should be comfortable enough on the wounds." We got Bella dressed but I hesitated when I started to move her to the bed.

"If she wakes up again and is up here alone, she'll be scared. She knows me best, so I need to be close. Hell…."

"Edward just go shower quickly yourself. That hair dye is just weird. I'll watch her now and then we'll set her up downstairs on a couch to sleep while we work in the next room."

I nodded and took off to hop in the shower. The hot water felt incredible so I just stood there basically still until the water started to run clear down my body again. I was achy and exhausted which reminded me that I had managed to use 12 of my condoms at least before encountering Bella tonight. No wonder my ass was a bit tender. I was too tired to really get hard even at those nice memories so I just washed quickly and went about changing into comfy clothes.

**JPOV**

Well damn it all to hell. He was sexy all disheveled and with weird hair dye but clean with his normal hair he was supernova hot. Ok Whitlock…stop eye-fucking your new boss. You are Major Jasper Whitlock, the pride of special forces and a badass. Focus!

"I think we have the start of a decent plan. One of my guys has gone in and cleaned out Bella's shed of personal effects and managed to beat the redhead, Victoria there. The three girls that Bella's been trying to protect are safe right now. It's almost seven am so I called in a favor from someone in the diocese to have them requested at an all day Catholic children's event that is going on today. A nun is on her way to fetch them when they wake up and is going to stay with them 24/7 until we contact them to tell them it's safe." I saw his curiosity burning at how I managed to get the Catholic diocese involved. "I helped them out with something that was going on last year. They didn't have a lot of money but promised to help me in future. I was able to explain enough of our fears that they were willing to protect the kids with no other questions asked."

"Great. Thanks." Poor guy looked exhausted but we have a lot more to do.

"Here's where the fun starts." I explained the plan which he agreed to with a few minor changes here and there.

"How do we know we can trust this guy?" I could understand his concern. It was a big risk.

"I served with him and he had my back all the way. He's got two daughters and is a huge advocate for children in the Bureau. With what we've got on this hard drive of Bella's we can easily prove it's a federal case. Now, when the sleeping genius hacker is in her right mind again, we need to completely erase any evidence of her meetings regarding Mistress Selena with them."

"I'm awake. And you don't need to worry. I never put them in there." She was a rumpled mess from her long tangled hair to her shapely legs to the flannel shirt that swallowed her frame but at least she wasn't cooing over Cullen's dick again.

"Angel…you need to sleep!" I suppressed a sigh as I watched him swoop her up and cart her over to us. Show off.

**BPOV**

"No. I need to help. This mess landed in your laps because of me. I want to do my part. Just…are they oK?" I looked at Jasper Whitlock for the truth.

"Yeah, Little Bit. They're going to be ok. A nun is on the way to collect them for a special children's thing the diocese is doing. Victoria will be gone by the time they get back and the cops will be watching the home like crazy for a while." I nodded at him.

"If it helps, perhaps we can foster them for a bit. My wife is going out of town so they wouldn't have to deal with her but we're registered as a foster home." I looked at Dr. Masen in confusion. "Ah…my wife is…"

"A raging witch." As usual, my Sugar goes right to the heart of the matter. "You're certified?"

"Yeah, I had wanted to adopt when we first got married but she…well, it didn't work, as you can imagine." Poor Doc. "I'd love to meet your friends, Bella. Kids are wonderful to have around."

Such a sweetie. I'd have to dig and see if I could find something to help him tame the beast so to speak. The guy is clearly gay, so I was also dying of curiosity as to why he married a woman at all…

"Ok, well…as I said, I took the precaution of erasing any and all discussions that I could find about infiltrating Mistress Selena. I think if I tell the cops that they wanted me to try to hack into some exclusive society but I had trouble finding it, they might not ask too much. It's not like the parties themselves are illegal, but we don't want anyone trying to track down members." I tried to think through things but I was still a bit fuzzy.

"I only gave you a short acting pain killer so I'm guessing it's wearing off. I'll need to give you another larger dose soon. I just wanted to gauge your reaction a bit, sweetheart." The Doc was smiling at me again in that sweet way of his. Sophie would adore him.

"We're not telling them about my injuries, correct?" Uh…why aren't they agreeing with me?

"Look Angel…we can omit that video from the others but there's no mention of Mistress Selena by name. The video would just back up your claim that they asked you to hack into a secret society but that you couldn't do it. There's no reason the cops need to know that you were lying to those two monsters." Ok, that made sense but I still hated the thought of others witnessing my punishment. Edward went on quickly. "And, there's more that happened after you left that we need to send to protect you all. There's mention of your injuries but it's in the middle of the other stuff we need." He was trying to downplay a bit.

"Show me." I saw Edward shaking his head and gearing up to argue with me but Jasper didn't even bother. He turned the laptop towards me and hit play. I think Edward may be plotting vengeance at Jasper's willingness to help me, so I'll need to keep an eye on him.

The video starts what looks like seconds after I left Caius' office.

_"That stupid little cunt should have gotten us results." Victoria slammed her body into a chair in front of the desk._

_"Yes, but I doubt she'd have the guts to lie to us about the information. She's too weak for that." Caius works on his manicure while he talks. "We'll just proceed with her sale and make sure to include the other brats as well. I believe there are buyers waiting. Let's find out, shall we?"_

_Caius dials a number on a weird looking cell phone before putting it on speaker. _

_"Yes?"_

_"We're on schedule to proceed with the sale of the Swan and we have three others to provide as well." Caius is respectful to whoever it is._

_"Excellent. Your Swan has caused quite a bidding war. She is lovely, certainly. As long as the information on her is correct, I'd say we'll all make a large amount from it. She is still 16, yes?"_

_"Yes, sir." Victoria doesn't let on to her lie at all._

_"A virgin in all ways?" _

_"Yes, sir. I check myself." Victoria is lying through her teeth and Caius knows it but doesn't speak up._

_"Well then, given her health and beauty we may get almost a million or more for her. She's healthy enough to last a while through any kind of treatment. What are the ages of the others?"_

_"Well, there's a 12 year old, a 10 year old and a six year old in a set of sisters named Martin that Swan is close to that we can disappear at the same time. All pretty in their own ways." Victoria has joined Caius in working on their nails._

_"Excellent. I have pictures of them here and know of a number of clients they'd suit. The young ones tend to not last as long so we may not get as much, but we can make it happen still. I'll be in touch."_

_The phone disconnects and the other two look at each other._

_"You never broke her hymen, correct?" Victoria shakes her head at Caius' question. "Is it obvious that she's been breached anally?" She shakes her head no. "Then we're fine." They both stare down as the phone starts ringing again. _

_"Yes?"_

_"A buyer has offered 1.2 for Swan but we need to deliver by the end of the week. I trust she is in good condition?" _

_Caius and Victoria share an alarmed look. "She was injured in gym class this week so there are some bruises and scrapes but she'll be healed within two weeks."_

_"Unacceptable. Make it faster." The phone disconnects again._

_"The hot sauce on her lashes may have been a bad choice. I think if we make sure to treat them quickly they may heal enough before the week is up to be unnoticeable for what they are. I believe the bruises will fade quicker with some sort of extra vitamin supplement so find out. Our associates would be curious why we punished her and as we didn't include them in the plan, we don't need them to know about it." Caius waves Victoria away and she exits the screen._

I can't think of anything to say for a few minutes so I'm grateful the others cover the silence by going over details. Edward doesn't speak but he does increase the pressure of his arms around me.

I started laughing out of the blue.

"Well, apparently I'm worth a million dollars to keep around so I'd say you're getting off with a hell of a deal if all you have to do is get me a lemur." The others laugh with me but Edward just stares.

"Not funny." I shake my head at his answer.

"Look, that was pure horror and a lot of my past is pure horror. Laughing about it helps me so cool your britches, Sugar." His raised eyebrow is too sexy so I'm curious about what he'll say next.

"What kind of lemur?" I snort out a laugh at him which he actually returns this time.

"Maybe we can start with a kitten or a puppy and progress to a lemur. I have no idea what they eat, so it'd be a bad idea to give me one. I'd have it addicted to skittles and Red Bull." I snickered at his tolerant sigh.

"So you're going to marry me?"

"Well, we can't have that fine ass violated by some toothless redneck in jail, now can we?"


	13. Major Hotness at the FBI

**JPOV**

I don't let my nerves escape as I dial the phone. I've been in really hairy situations so much in my life that I've forgotten what it feels like to be nervous about doing something. This little lady seems to be damaging my calm.

"Atera."

"Q, it's Whit. I have a situation that you're going to need to be involved in ASAP. I know it's Sunday morning but there are kids in danger, so I need to meet with you." I know he'll come through. The guy freaking loves kids.

"Meet me at the bureau in thirty. I'll be downstairs waiting." He hung up without another word.

"You were right about him trusting you, that's for sure." Cullen is staring at the phone in my hand with a nervous expression. He's still got Bella on his lap and does not seem inclined to let her go at any point soon. I guess that's a good thing since they'll be married by tomorrow night. I purposefully ignore the bitter feeling rising up at the thought.

"Yeah, he's a genuinely good guy. Always had my back when the other guys found out I was gay. He left before me but we kept in touch. He'll be willing to help us and not question my story too much." Bella is busy typing away on the laptop we brought her from her shed. I'm a pretty smart guy but the girl is moving too fast for me to follow.

"Ok, I've loaded all the clips onto a new external hard drive that is untraceable just to be on the safe side. I was thinking maybe I should send a note with it to seal the deal, so to speak?" She's asking rather than telling.

"Are you sure, Angel? I don't want you to expose too much of yourself to their analysis just yet." Gah…he may irritate me but I have to admit he genuinely loves her…even if he doesn't know it yet.

"Yeah, I mean it'll be easier for Jasper's story to work if I explain some. Here…" she trails off and starts to type.

_If you're reading this, then I know that I've chosen my messenger well. These people have operatives at all levels of government service, so I've been afraid to release this to anyone. After the last video recorded this morning though, I realize I have no choice. I am entrusting this to someone who I have been investigating for over a year and know to be a good man. _

_I will not be available for several days. Contrary to my school records, I'm actually hours away from my 18__th__ birthday. They made me change the records to keep me looking younger but as of tomorrow, I finally will be able to be in charge of my own life legally. I will be in contact after then to give you any assistance I can provide. These monsters need to be taken down, and I promise to help._

_In the meantime, my messenger has promised to protect those dearest to me, which I would appreciate your help with as well. As you will see in the first file that was recorded just this morning, Angela, Katie and Sophie Martin are very much in danger and need to be placed somewhere they can be protected. My presence near them at this point will only endanger them more, so I have to stay away. I did not endure that hell for the past four years to allow them to fall prey to these monsters when I finally can trust someone to help me. They are true innocents, so please keep them safe._

_Thank you for helping us._

_Isabella Swan_

"I'll encode the whole package with a password unique to you to make it clear that I've entrusted all of this just to you. The story is that I found your name last year and have been researching you to see if you are someone to trust, right?" She looks at me with trepidation. It is a complicated web we're weaving.

"Yes. I actually did recover a girl kidnapped to be sold into slavery last year. The idiots took a wealthy businessman's daughter. They'll assume you heard about that and thought I might be able to help." She nods. "I'm off. Get some rest…tomorrow is a big day for you."

I get a sweet smile from Bella and a nod from Cullen. Sam drives me and drops me several blocks from the FBI building to let me approach on foot. While I won't hide that I'm going to work for Cullen full-time, we want to make it seem like it hasn't started yet so that our plan for tomorrow works.

"Whit!" Special Agent Quil Atera walks towards me quickly. "What's going on? You wouldn't call like that unless it was something big." We shake hands before I answer.

"It's a long story. Let's get somewhere quiet." I follow him in and through security before closing us up in his office.

"Do you remember that kidnap victim I found last year who was taken by sex traffickers?" Quil nods. "Well, apparently word got out that I had been involved which led to a young woman in trouble contacting me early this morning. She's a genius and a major computer expert so she had apparently investigated me more thoroughly than even you guys would be capable of."

"Wait…this is about a hacker? I don't do white collar crime, Whit." Quil looks confused.

"Her talent with electronics isn't the issue. She seems pretty above board actually so I doubt she's committed many white collar crimes of her own free will." This peaks his interest.

"Her own free will? What's really going on here, Jasper?"

"She's 17 years old and a ward of the state. According to what she's told me, she's lived in a home for girls for a number of years. This hard drive," I pull out her evidence, "is full of information and video documentation of sexual abuse by the home director as well as evidence that the same person is working with a larger outfit to sell orphans for sex slaves." Well, I have his complete attention, that's for sure.

"Show me."

"She encrypted it and only gave me the password. I took a look in case it was a hoax, but…" I just shook my head and loaded it to my laptop before opening the directory. Her note pops up and has Quil glancing at me quickly.

"You're protecting her friends?" I nod.

"Yeah, I've got someone on them and had them removed by a nun for the day to some festival the church is doing. But, we need to get them out permanently." With that, I open the videos from earlier where they beat Bella and whip her before arranging the sale of her and the others.

"How did she get this?" It's a valid question.

"Remember when I said she's a genius?" He nods. "Well, I wasn't exaggerating. She's got a butt-load of college degrees and can design and build her own electronics. She took charge of getting evidence against these bastards but didn't know who to trust. From some of the older videos, you can see that they are in contact with people in Social Services, law enforcement and government. She's tried to play nice to keep them from hurting the younger girls. Also, they apparently have pictures of the young girls nude that they're holding to keep her in line. She refused to let them become fodder for pedophiles, so she endured hell. From the little I got out of her, she developed too much to be of sexual interest to her female abuser but has remained a favorite punching bag for all involved. At least she got a break from molestation for a while."

"Ok, we need more people in here STAT. Can you stick around?" He's already dialing his commander.

"Yeah, I have a meeting with Edward Cullen in the morning but I'm good for today." Quil looks at me curiously. "His head of security is retiring and I'm the recommendation for his replacement. I've decided to go corporate."

"Never thought I'd see it. You're sure going all the way with that one, aren't you? He's the most powerful businessman in the country. A genius from what they say but not the easiest guy to work for." We're waiting for others to join us, so he's trying to fill the time.

"I don't have to like him. Besides, apparently I'm a genius magnet lately. This girl is seriously the smartest person I've ever met. I shudder to think what would happen if those two ever combined brain power." Yes…buy my bullshit so that when they "meet" tomorrow it looks like the first time.

Quil has known me a long time, so he knows I wouldn't give complements lightly.

We're interrupted by a number of people entering the room. I'm pleased to see another army buddy named Embry in the group and feel even better about our chances of getting this done right. I repeat the story I told Quil before showing the same scene from earlier this morning again. They immediately dispatch units to arrest Victoria James and Caius Volturi, but we stay in that room watching all the videos to find out whom else to go after. By the end, we've got ten names as well as a lot more questions. There's no mention of who is in charge or who does the selling which is frustrating. Buyers are also never named which means I'll be watching Bella like a hawk for the foreseeable future. Anyone willing to buy a girl would have no trouble taking one forcibly if they don't get their way.

"We need her to come in so we can protect her. Who knows if the buyer they lined up will stop wanting her just because she's really 18 or she's gone to the cops." This is why I love Quil. He tends to think along the same lines as me.

"She gave _me_ the slip this morning so good fucking luck."

"Wait, she managed to evade the best tracker the Army has had in years? I didn't think anyone could outmaneuver you, Major." Embry served with me in special ops, so he knows I'm the best. I just nod.

Quil starts to speak again. "Ok, that's a little bit scary but good for her. Maybe she'll be safe until she's willing to come in." Oh, she will be old friend, I'll make sure of it.

"There's something you all need to remember though." All the agents as well as the federal prosecutor turn to me in concern. "This girl may be legally 17 but she's got over six college degrees and has managed to gather more evidence against a vast criminal conspiracy than most of us could ever find. She's brilliant and mature, so don't treat her like a child. From what she's said, she has combated the abuse she suffered by refusing to let them win and actively attending support groups and studying the psychology of trauma. She's mentally sharp and surprisingly well balanced given what she's endured. To be honest, it's a little freaky how old she seems when she talks. Don't try to manage her or keep her docile. She could be the key to bringing down this whole network so you want her on your side."

I get a few nods and one or two eye rolls. Bella will eat the skeptics for breakfast. I feel like I should give Cullen that speech though. He needs to learn that she won't be coddled or told what to do. Actually, it'll be more fun to watch her make him suffer.

"Also, she won't come in without full immunity for any crimes she may have had to commit at their behest. I don't think it's too much to ask, no?" I get complete and total agreement from everyone in the room on this one. They may not respect her yet but they will protect her even from the law.

"Ok, so what were they trying to get her to find that she wasn't able to?" I don't flinch because we knew this question would come up.

"Some sort of secret club from what she said. According to her, she found traces but never was able to nail down a who or where. She said that they wanted the info to blackmail people in power but that the club wasn't a criminal organization at all." I just shrug at them.

"Mistress Selena." The federal prosecutor is the one who says it. Well damn…

"That's an urban legend." Quil is a non believer apparently.

"Actually it's not. But, the Swan girl is right in that it's not an illegal enterprise. All the funds members pay go to setting up secure parties and there's no prostitution or drug use allowed. It's basically like a safe harbor for people in prominent positions to get their freak on without worrying about blackmail or bad press. The only laws being broken are archaic ones regarding sex. If we start prosecuting everyone who has sex outside of marriage or in a position other than missionary, we're all screwed." We all stare at her with varying degrees of curiosity though I'm mostly just amused. "We heard about it a few years ago and did a quiet investigation into the setup to determine if they were involved in prostitution or anything illegal but it was all clean. They have strict rules on age, income and health that are followed by all, so it's pretty safe and not something we have to go after. That's all I can say as it was done very under the radar, so there' s no record of the investigation."

"Is that legal?" One of the younger agents is curious about it.

"Of course. Not every investigation is public knowledge. I guarantee you won't find any trace of the parties or anyone willing to talk. It's not worth pursuing and will get you in trouble if you do for harassing law abiding citizens." Huh…awesome that they're not going to cause problems on that front.

"We haven't met, have we?" I ask the prosecutor.

"No, sorry we haven't. I'm Carmen Eleazar. I've done a lot of work with sex crimes, so I was called to liaise for this case." She lowers her voice slightly. "Is the girl really ok?"

"Yeah, she was in a fair amount of pain but she's a fighter, as you can tell. I only talked to her for about an hour before she moved on but I can tell you she's more emotionally stable than I would've guessed for someone who's been through all that." She nods at me and looks at me with consideration.

"She made quite an impression on you. I can't wait to meet her. I've never known a child abuse victim to actually try to treat themselves psychologically while still under their abuser's power." I know she's dying to meet Bella and see if she's really everything I've said.

"Yeah, she said it was her way of keeping her own power. She'd shut off her brain and endure and then go and work on herself or try to remind herself all sex isn't bad or all people don't want to hurt you. She's quite a little firecracker. You forget within minutes that she's a teenager and a tiny little thing because the force of her personality is so huge!" She grins at me and nods.

"Good. I like her already. Now, the girls that she's been protecting are being watched by your men, right?" I nod. "We'll need to bring them in and get them in a safe house for a few days."

"I might know someone who can foster them for a bit if it helps. Dr. Carlisle Masen is an acquaintance. His wife is a…difficult person but he's a great guy and would be glad to help out. I believe his wife is actually in Europe so that might help. It'd be a choice no one would guess and an agent can stay at the house with them all as a precaution." She's nodding.

"I know Carlisle…he's a sweetheart. As long as Muffy the Witch is out of the way, that sounds like a plan. I'll get it started."

I call Carlisle and "ask" him for help with the others still in the room. He was expecting the fake call and answers exactly on point. I tell him to expect a call from Carmen, so he hangs up to get things ready on his end.

I take a minute to pull Quil aside. "What else do you need from me?"

"A signed statement that tells how you came by all of this and possibly some help later when we find the girl. I know you want a crack at the people we're bringing in just like I do but we have to do this by the book, so I can't let you get any punches in, sorry." I grin at him. He knows me well. "I'll get a newbie to type up your stuff so you can leave. You said you're meeting with your new boss tomorrow?" I nod. "Good luck….hey…see if he wants to hire another genius. Maybe we can help get this girl a life worth living."

"I'll wager he'd be happy to help a fellow prodigy, so I'll ask. It has to be a fairly rare thing to find someone like them so maybe he can help her acclimate some, who knows?" Quil nods at me before clapping my shoulder and walking away. Let's hope I didn't go too far with that last bit. Even if Quil smells a setup, I know he'd still keep it quiet because he trusts my judgment.

"WAIT!" Quil runs up as I'm leaving. "I shouldn't tell you this but one of the names we got works at Cullen International."

"What?" Cullen is going to shit a brick and possibly commit murder when he hears this.

"Tanya Denali was one of the people we saw 'interact' with Isabella on the tapes and she works at CI. The girl was spot on when she said they mostly left her alone once she developed more, but this is one of the last times we see her being sexually abused. I'd put it at six months to a year. BUT this Denali chick did come back to beat on the girl some so she's definitely in this mess."

"Let me make a call." I step away and dial Alec immediately.

"Whit?" I wasn't supposed to contact anyone related to the Cullens while here so he's worried.

"Yeah, hey…I'm actually in the middle of turning some evidence over to the FBI regarding a human trafficking ring. One of the names we have works at Cullen International."

"Fuck." Alec knows this is bad.

"Can you tell me anything about Tanya Denali?" I hear a snort on the line and have no idea what could possibly be amusing about this situation.

"Yep. Threw her out of the building myself after Edward fired her yesterday. She made a homophobic remark about Alice and was sexually harassing Edward…poorly, I might add. I'm actually going to look through her computer to see if she's done anything else we need to know about."

"Ok. The FBI will contact you soon regarding her to see if she's done anything suspicious at work."

"I'll wait for the call." We both disconnect.

I run back up to Quil. "Well, apparently Mr. Cullen personally fired Tanya Denali yesterday after she said some very inappropriate homophobic things about his assistant who's also his best friend _and_ tried to push herself on him. Alec, the man I'll be taking over for, is waiting on your call. He says they'd be happy to cooperate and help in any way."

Quil starts laughing. "Ok then. I think you'll fit in nicely over there if that's the way they handle things. I'll call Alec and get all the info I can. If you mention it to Cullen tomorrow, mention that we'd like a crack at her computer too. Since it's a corporate machine, we would have some trouble getting it, but she might have put some stuff on there."

"I imagine they'll be looking too to make sure she didn't take any privileged information so I'm sure that won't be a problem." Another back slap and I'm free. I dial Alec again when I'm in the cab.

"Hey…I've got Edward here with me."

"How's your guest?" I may seem paranoid but I'm not taking any chances.

"Sleeping soundly with Alice watching for a few minutes. Alec got me up to tell me about something at CI but what do you need?" Well crap…I was hoping Alec would be the one to tell him.

"The employeeyou fired yesterday is one of the people seen in the videos with Bella." Loud swearing and a crash come through before Alec is able to calm him down.

"I. will. Kill. That. Bitch." Ok, not going to think about how sexy his voice gets when he's pissed.

"My buddy at the FBI will contact Alec regarding information about her time with you but they want a crack at her computer." I'm waiting for him to start protesting. CI is his baby so I'm sure he'll be protective of it.

"Sure." Uh…ok then.

"Well, we might should take a look ourselves first, Edward. I was waking you originally to tell you she tried to get into the building to steal her computer this morning." Well damn…that's not good.

"Ok…well, let's get it here as soon as possible. I want to know if she used her job with us for this shit. Luckily, I happen to know an expert in computers who may be available to help you. I can't believe I fired her for being homophobic and it turns out she molested my future wife." At least Cullen has a sense of humor.

"A real project might be a good thing for B. You can stall a day or two before they'll start pressuring you to hand it over. I'm sure you can discover what you need to in that time." I'm abruptly tired.

"Yeah, I'm sure we will. Get some rest. We have a busy time ahead of us." We certainly do. "Are you ok to move into the house here tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. The guest wing is pretty deserted so it'll be a nice quiet place and I'll be seconds away in case anything goes wrong. I'll have everything I need moved tomorrow."

"Great. See you then." Cullen disconnected the call and I sat back to contemplate my day.

Ok, then…statement signed, evidence delivered, girls delivered to FBI protective custody and soon Carlisle, criminals removed from girls' home…

Hmm…not bad for a day's work.

**Don't forget to vote at The Lemonade Stand!**


	14. Angel & Sugar's Afternoon Show

**A/N: Happy Friday!**

**ReporterPOV**

My source better be right. It's colder than a witch's tit out here so I better at least get a picture of Cullen. The dude has gone all eccentric recluse, so even a picture of him just walking into the office is worth something nowadays. My contact said that he has some meetings this morning so he'll be in by 7 am.

Whoa…who's the hottie? A petite brunette just wandered into the coffee shop next to CI headquarters. Sexy little thing, that's for sure. I watch as she gets her coffee and piles all that hair in a knit cap before walking out.

Fuck…Cullen has arrived and I nearly missed it. I go to start snapping him and end up catching a damn fine moment. Cullen is too busy checking his phone to notice the little brunette who is also looking at something in her hand. The two smash into each other forcefully enough to knock the girl off her feet. Cullen pulls a total Prince Charming move and manages to catch her before she falls down but it knocks her hat loose and her hair comes tumbling out. Nice shots for me!

Whoa…what the hell? Cullen is just staring at her like he's lost his mind. The little lady starts babbling at him while he's still holding her at a diagonal to the ground.

"Oh…I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking. I didn't burn you, did I?" She notices at this point that he's still holding her and arches one cute eyebrow which has him finally waking up. Thank GOD I have my video/still combo today. This is one that I can sell as video and use to pay my alimony.

"Uh…no…I think I ran into you. Oh! Your coffee…please let me replace it?" Damn. I'm as hetero as I can be but even I have to admit the guy is handsome especially with that small smile. He's managed to dazzle his little companion into silence. "Um…I'm Edward."

"Bella." This is seriously the best day EVER! They are staring into each others' eyes raptly until the girl, Bella, suddenly looks up at CI before looking at Cullen curiously. "Edward Cullen?"

And the billionaire CEO just blushed and nodded all shy. Well damn…she's got him all atwitter.

"Oh! You must be so busy. I'll get out of your way." She turns to make a fast exit but he reaches down and grabs her hand. The differences in their height is so apparent that it's kind of comical to see.

"NO!" She stares at him in shock. I would be too. "Uh…I mean…Coffee!" Now little Bella appears to be looking at him in concern like he's been knocked in the head. I have to admit it's fascinating to see the always cool and collected Cullen babbling like an idiot because of a pair of big brown eyes.

"Um, coffee?" Yes, keep him talking little lady…this is pure gold!

"Yes, sorry…I seem to be losing my mind. I was trying to say, let me buy you a cup of coffee but I lost my words there for a minute." Aww…he's blushing again.

"Oh, well I'm sure you're busy. I don't want to take you from your work." Hmm…normally this is a ploy women use but she seems oddly sincere. She's a skittish little thing though. She looks around like she's being hunted.

"No…my meeting was cancelled…and I'm the boss. I can take time to get some coffee with a lovely lady." Well nice moves there, boy-genius. She's putty in your hands. Speaking of hands…he's still holding hers and just turns to walk with her into the shop.

"Well…it seems I have a meeting to cancel." Cullen's assistant and bodyguard are still staring at the coffee shop mystified by their boss' unusual behavior. She eventually shakes it off and dials someone to rearrange her day. "Umm….actually we might be rescheduling the whole day." I follow her gaze and see that Cullen has sat down with his new friend and is engaged in deep conversation with her.

"Have you ever seen him like this?" The bodyguard is asking quietly but they still haven't noticed me in the shadows so it's basic precautions.

"No. This is very new…he looks so happy." She sounds kind of sad when she says it like he isn't normally. He's a billionaire at 26. What's not to be happy about? "Ok…I'm going in…keep me updated." With that, she takes off to work.

For over three hours I stand in the cold and watch as they talk continually. The bodyguard has long since moved inside to drink a coffee while he watches his charge. Finally they rise again.

"I shouldn't have had so much coffee. I feel like I'm buzzing out of my skin." The girl is a bit jittery.

"Let's walk some of it off then." Ok then, I guess he's playing hooky all day. I follow for a long time as they wander in and out of shops and parks. The two never stop talking. I manage to pick up a few bits of info though. First, the little brunette is some kind of genius too that actually had scholarships funded by CI to get her freakish number of degrees. Second, Cullen is totally enamored. Third, this Bella can charm the pants off anyone from what I can tell but it's mainly unconscious. She doesn't really seem to try to get people to like her, they just do. Forth, she's been hurt by something badly. This one is just a feeling based on her skittishness around people. I've seen it before.

The two eventually stop to each lunch at a little family owned deli so I take a few to call a contact and pitch the sale of this stuff.

"Wait…so you've been following Cullen all day and he's basically head over heels for some little piece?" I have a rule of only working with companies that tell the truth so I know LeeLee is just asking for clarification.

"Yep. I think the bodyguard saw me but he's not too worried since I'm the only photog that has found them. I think Cullen is head over heels for her and she's pretty much the same. From what I've heard she's a fellow prodigy who has CI to thank for her scholarships but Cullen didn't know about her since he doesn't handle that stuff personally. It's fascinating to watch." I agree to meet her later and take to following them again.

**BPOV**

"He still back there?" I whisper it since we're on display.

"Yep." Edward has my hand in a tight grip and a watchful eye looking around us. Jasper is shadowing us and making sure no one else other than the pap we set up has found us.

We've been together for hours now and it's actually been a lot of fun. We've talked about everything from school to our various ideas for work to books. If I didn't know this was a sham, I'd feel like we're falling in love as we speak. Edward is brilliant at making it seem like he adores me so it's going well. I secretly wish that this is how we really did meet. It feels so natural that it's almost frightening. I can tell he's feeling something but he could just be a really good actor.

I wish he really did love me though. He won't kiss me and basically looked at me like I was insane when I wanted to talk about sex last night. Granted, I was still pretty out of it at the time but I can't tell if it's because he doesn't trust me after the whole near-blackmail thing or if he doesn't want me anymore. It's strange because he'll hold me on his lap and is super protective but he won't cross a certain line. I understand that I'm still on painkillers and hurt but as we proved the other night, there's a lot you can do without crossing those lines. I just have this feeling he doesn't plan to ever cross _any_ lines with me again.

We leave lunch and head to Central Park for some more exercise. I know we need to stage a kiss and possibly a proposal to make this a love story that is convincing but I have to put something else in there as well. I thought of it earlier and hope he goes with me on this.

Once in the park, I hop up onto a cement ledge to make our heights more even. It's easy to forget he's so much bigger than me when we're sitting talking so I have to make sure to compensate or my neck hurts if we walk together. He's still a few inches taller than me with me on a bench!

He stops and turns to me suddenly before slowly putting his hands on my cheeks. Oh my…those eyes are burning with passion and…well I'm not sure what that is but it's intense. He leans down and brushes my lips with his own gently before claiming my mouth in a sweet soulful kiss. I wrap my arms around him tight and hold on with everything I have. His arms are around me and I know that he's being careful of my injuries. He really is a sweetheart.

When he pulls back, he stares into my eyes for a long time before speaking.

"Marry me."

**ReporterPOV**

OH MY FUCKING CHRIST! This is the best day EVER! I just got their first kiss on camera and man, it was a doozy….like it needed its own soundtrack kind of kiss.

"Marry me." What? Oh…oh…

She's staring into his eyes in shock but doesn't answer which has him babbling again.

"I know it's insane and I know we don't know each other but this feels so right. When are we ever going to meet another person with our intelligence level and similar histories? Look, I know it's out of the blue, but I just feel like we have to capture the moment and go with it. Twelve hours ago I would've said love at first sight was total bullshit but then I crashed into you and it hit like a freight train. You feel it too, don't you?" I'm desperately waiting for her answer. I've forgotten I'm filming now and just watch like it's a classic movie scene.

"Yes." TO WHAT? DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING HERE!

"Yes?" He sounds desperate.

"Yes. I'll marry you! This is insane but at least we're both crazy!" He swings her around before setting her back on the bench and kissing her deeply. I'm going to be able to retire with this shit.

"OH!" She pulls back suddenly and stares at him with what looks like fear. "I have baggage, lots of serious stuff."

"So do I. We'll carry it together, no matter what." She still looks really nervous. I wonder why?

"I have to tell you this…I'm not quite as old as you think I am." Huh?

"Huh? I know you're only like 20 or 21 so it's ok. Kids like us grow up faster than others so I have no worries about your age."

"18."

"Uh…what?" Yeah…what? I heard her talking about her second post grad degree earlier, so how is she 18?

"Today actually." She drops her eyes and plays with his collar a bit while Cullen just stares at her in shock. "I should've told you earlier but it's just not something I think about to be honest. I've been taking care of myself a long time so the date on my birth certificate doesn't mean anything to me."

"You're really 18 now, right?" He's trying to catch her eyes and has to put a finger under her chin to get her to look at him. She nods. "I, better than anyone, know that sometimes age is just a number. You have six college degrees and have taken care of yourself your whole life. As long as you're legal, I'm still going to marry you, love." I can even buy a beach house with the sale of that last little shocker.

"Then let's get married." He scoops her up with a whoop of joy and takes off towards the street. I end up losing them this time but at least I have the juiciest story all to myself. I call my contact who literally starts screaming in my ear before I run to meet her at the office. It seems the crown prince of International business has found himself a unique princess. The public will eat this shit up.


	15. Rings & Nerves

**A/N: Another Friday, another update! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I'm horrible about replying but I squee at each and every one. My buffer of prewritten chapters is dwindling fast, so I need to get back to it. I hope you enjoy the big day with Sugar and Angel!**

**EPOV**

"Did you plan to announce your age or was that a spur of the moment thing?" I'm settled into a car with Bella who is humming contentedly under her breath. She looks up in confusion before shaking her head.

"I thought about it earlier and realized we could bypass the shock factor by revealing it right away and on our terms. I'm just glad you went with it so well. We make a hell of a team, Sugar." She grins happily before leaning her head on my arm and snuggling in sweetly.

We do make a hell of a team.

The problem is that it felt too real to me. Our conversations today stopped being about making the reporter a believer and changed into real falling for an amazing woman. But the problem is that she's just 18 today and has been abused for years, so she's not healthy or ready for a relationship like ours would be. That being said, I can't send her away from me or pretend to just divorce her in a few months. The very thought makes my chest hurt bad enough to have me questioning how young is too young for a heart attack.

So I have this gorgeous woman who will legally be my wife that I can't touch because of her past. She even loves bisexual men and got off on watching me with other guys! It's like God created the perfect partner for me and then said…nope sucka!

And now, I don't know if I'll be able to even continue my normal sex life with her around. I suddenly feel very weird about messing with Sam and Seth or the girls while I'm married to Bella which is totally stupid since they are both married couples! See, I'm losing my fraking mind.

I'm even jealous of Whitlock's attention to my girl which is nuts since he's completely gay. Alec says that to his knowledge, Whitlock hasn't ever even been with a girl. I swear this must be what going mad feels like.

"EDWARD!" I jump but find that we're not under attack or anything. Bella is just looking at me like I've lost my mind…huh…she does seem to get me well.

"What?"

"Uh…did you still plan to just get married today or do you want to wait?" Oh hell. Now she thinks I'm having second thoughts. Well, to be fair, I am but about me not her. She's amazing. I sigh a little. Fuck it all, I'm turning into a woman.

"Yes. So, Vegas or the courthouse?" She wrinkles her cute little nose at me and shrugs. "Well, don't you have an opinion? I thought women planned this shit their whole lives?"

"Uh, Edward. Wedding planning wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities. We can do whatever you'd like." We've pulled up in front of CI where Alice is impatiently tapping her toes. She's got a couple of garment bags and other shopping paraphernalia.

"So, you took some time off for retail therapy just now, Mary Alice?" I know I'm being super snarky but I'm going crazy so it should be allowed.

"Ha. You're so funny, Edweirdo." Great…now Bella is giggling at my unfortunate nickname. "I got a dress for Bella and your suit and such. I know you have the romanticism of a gnat so I figured if our girl is going to have a pretty wedding, I had to get started. You don't mind my helping, do you Bella?"

Poor Angel looks shocked by the sheer pitifulness of Alice's puppy eyes and just shakes her head. "No, I have no real opinions about it to be honest." Huh…I think that's sad. Apparently Alice does too but she's going with enthusiasm to counteract it all.

"Ok…well, here in NY, we have a 24 hour waiting period after you register for a license but we can get that waived with a judge. If we fly everyone out to Vegas, we can get you married tonight at one of the casinos." Judging by Bella's nose, I'd say the casino idea is out. "Courthouse it is then. We know a great judge who would love to marry Edward, so I'll make the arrangements. We can have you married by tonight. Um…can Rose and I stand with you as support?" She's looking at Bella not me which shouldn't surprise me. I know they're my best friends but they both have a protective instinct towards my Angel.

"I'd be honored, Alice." Angel blushes beautifully. "I wish the girls could come but it's safer to keep them away from me for a bit. Carlisle said he'd tell them tomorrow and we could talk on the phone." I know she misses the girls but at least she's happy to try to get closer to my friends. I think the best thing for her uneasiness with women is just to become friends with really great women and let time do the rest. I'm sure the therapist she's going to get will help as well.

She's agreed to therapy with no arguments saying that she wants to make sure she stays as healthy as possible. Her one condition kind of freaked me out though. _I_ have to go to therapy too. Yes, she said that being married to her and going through all of this, especially having seen some of those videos of her being hurt is a lot to handle, so I need to talk to someone too. If this is what it takes for her to feel better, I'll do it. But I'm definitely nervous.

"Are you nervous? We can find another way, Edward." I turn to look down at her sweet eyes and see a hint of sadness there that just kills me. Is she sad that she has to marry me or is she sad because she thinks I don't want to marry her? Gah…I think she's right that I need professional help at this point.

"No, I'm just worried that this is all too fast for you. I'm trying to make it all as painless as possible." She starts shaking her head adamantly.

"Pain is what reminds us that the good things are worth cherishing. There's no need to protect me from all of life. Just living my life the way I want to is my only goal. Having you to walk beside me is a blessing, so stop thinking this is a chore." I get a kiss on the cheek and a sweet cuddle after she finishes talking. I had given her some of the pain medicine when we got into the car, so I know she's sleepy. Less than a minute later, she's dozing against me.

"She is entirely perfect for you. Don't fuck this up for both of your sakes, ok?" Alice ignores my dirty look and continues. "Treat her like your partner and not a child and you'll do just fine, sweetie."

"Now, I've talked to Judge Volta's office and Aro would _love_ to perform your marriage. One of his clerks offered to get the license started so all you'll have to do is go in and fill out the paperwork. Seth will meet us there, but first I want to get Bella all dressed and pretty. We're going to a hotel nearby to get dressed before we go for the ceremony. Did you have a preference for rings?" Well fuck…

"I don't know what she'd like, to be honest. I would personally…" I trail off and blush a bit because this is going to sound cheesy. "I would love it if she'd wear grandmother's ring but I want her to be happy with whatever." Alice just grins at me and opens her purse to pull out several sets of rings. She pulls my grandmother's out and hands it to me. My raised brow just gets me a cheeky shrug.

"I had a feeling. Now, the hotel is right next to Tiffany's so I arranged for some wedding bands to be brought by that would look good on you both. You'll have a selection to choose from so don't worry." Huh…I'll have to wear a ring too. I don't know how I feel about that.

Our arrival at the hotel is quiet since we're flying under the radar. We hustle up to a suite on the top floor and my Angel is immediately escorted to the bedroom with Alice and Rose. Sam just keeps giving me happy little smiles which I don't understand at all.

"Look Edward, we may all work for you or CI but first and foremost we're your friends…no, hell…we're family...an untraditional one to be sure, but family nonetheless. You brought us all together so that now, I no longer have only my husband but two women we adore as friends, your love and support, Carlisle's gentle wisdom and Mrs. P's kick ass food and mothering. As your friends, we're happy to see you with someone so perfect for you no matter how it's starting. She's good for you, my friend. Let yourself be good for her too." With that, Sam claps me on the shoulder and goes to answer the door. Huh…I hadn't really thought of what marriage to my Angel may do to me other than save me from jail.

"Oh crap! Esme will never forgive me if I get married without her!" Sam walks back into the room snickering at my sudden panic. Esme Platt has been my housekeeper/cook for years. She's in her late forties and a total pistol to be around. Her husband passed on about ten years ago, so she considers us all her kids. She was visiting an old friend this weekend and wasn't due to return until this morning.

"No worries, Edward. Rose filled her in and she will be waiting at the courthouse with Seth. She's _extremely _happy at the news." I bet. She's wanted me to find a partner for a long time now.

I suddenly realize we're not alone and turn to see a slim man and blonde woman in the doorway. Oh, the rings!

"Sorry, I'm a bit scatterbrained. One doesn't usually meet the love of their lives and then marry them the same day. It's overwhelming but in a fantastic way." They both smile at me before coming forward to show me the wedding bands. "Sam? Can you get Bella so she can have a say?" He heads to the bedroom to rescue her from Alice and Rose.

"Mr. Cullen, your assistant said that you have an engagement ring picked out. May I see it to help find a complimentary band?" The man is all professionalism and kind eyes. The woman is a total cougar, so I'm keeping my distance from her leering eyes and flexing fingers.

"I haven't shown her yet, so let's look quickly!" He looks down and smiles a bit at my choice. I shove it back in my pocket when I hear Bella coming towards the room.

"Edward? Sam said you needed my opinion on something?" She's wearing a white silk robe and her damp hair is curling riotously over her shoulders. I can't take my eyes off of her and don't notice that I haven't answered.

"Edward?" She looked back towards the bedroom a bit warily and started to move closer to me.

"Are you ok, Angel?" She looked a little scared.

"The little one was threatening to give me something called a blowout. I don't know what the hell it is, but it doesn't sound good." I tried really hard not to laugh but lost the battle. Thankfully one of our guests cut in and distracted her from glaring at me.

"Miss Bella, I am Stanley from Tiffany's. I'm here to help you pick out wedding bands. I must say it is a pleasure to meet you, dear. You are just lovely." Stanley seems to love her immediately and it's not just an act. The cougar just moves her lips a bit but doesn't speak. Creepy.

"Oh!" Her cheeks are bright red. "I didn't even think of that. I really don't wear jewelry, so you don't have to get me a ring, Edward." I sigh a little and grab her hand to pull her to my lap. I stamp out that little voice in my head that says if I'm always so touchy-feely with her, it's ridiculous to be afraid of a physical relationship.

"Yes, I do _have_ to get you a ring, Angel. I know you don't like expensive gifts and big gestures but I want to spoil you and give you the world. Please let me do this right?" I have no guilt about using the smoldering sexy eyes on her to get my way in this. She's been neglected and hurt her whole life so I damn well mean to pamper her as much as possible.

"Ok, Edward. For you." Her kiss to my cheek has me sighing in pleasure.

"Hmm…well, I have a gift for reading a person and finding the jewelry that fits them the best. May I make a suggestion?" Stanley is sitting calmly beside us and smiling happily. We both nod instantly. "I think this one suits you perfectly, lovely Bella. It's delicate and small so you will feel comfortable but it's lovely craftsmanship and a true treasure which will suit your new husband, I believe."

The guy really does have a gift. It's a very thin platinum band that is basically an etched ring with vines and tiny gems all around it. It'll fit my grandmother's ring beautifully and looks so much like Bella that I'm kind of stunned. I can see the pleasure in her eyes and know we have it. Stanley manages to do the trick for me as well with a matching more masculine version that is just bad-ass enough not to be pretty.

"Thank you so much, Stanley. You truly do have a gift." He smiles at Bella and sends his assistant to obtain the right sizes.

"Well, you two just radiate love and joy so it was a pure pleasure helping to find you something you can wear the rest of your lives." He kisses her hand gallantly and departs. Bella hops up and goes back to getting ready but she seems just a little sad. I know she's got to be sad that she's throwing away her chance to live and love during her youth by marrying me now, but I will do everything I can to make her happy for the next sixty years.

**BPOV**

I give myself a second to let the tears fall after I walk into the bedroom but then wipe them away and move back towards the bathroom to let Rose and Alice finish. I know I can't expect him to love me or want to keep me. I just have to remember that.

"Bella? Why are you crying?" Damn observant pixie-woman. Alice was looking at me with big pleading eyes like my answer was of vital importance to her life. I had started to soften a bit towards both women and was willingly letting them curl my hair and apply make-up even, but I was tense the whole time because the little one with the pouty eyes still freaked me out a bit.

How am I supposed to hide tears though?

"Oh, we had to choose wedding bands and it was…uh…intense?" Damn. That shouldn't have sounded like a question.

"You mean, it was hard since you don't think you'll be married for long?" Rose was looking at me steadily. I put my poker face on but she seemed to see right through it. What is with these people? I fooled criminals for years!

"Bella, do you really believe that Edward will just toss you aside once the bad guys are caught?" Alice shared a meaningful glance with her wife that just confused me more.

"Well, he should. We're only getting married to save both our asses, so it'll be a moot point once we're safe." They seriously need to stop with the looks at each other. "WHAT?"

"You guys are so fucking alike, it's scary. Look, Edward is our best friend. We know him better than anyone and I'm telling you now that there's more to this than you think." Cryptic much, Lilliputian woman?

"Bella, you guys are going to have an interesting time of it for a while but if you will open your eyes, it could turn into the time of your lives. Just…have patience with him. He's sort of emotionally stunted." The blonde goddess was speaking in riddles too. Is it a rich person's thing? "Oh, one more thing…don't go easy on him…at all."

"Oooo-kay then. You guys aren't confusing at all." My sarcasm just earned me a couple of snorts. They returned to beautifying me in a hurry but left one last sentence for me to think about. "We're willing to help you guys figure everything out no matter what."

Alice started talking again. "Now, Esme Platt is our housekeeper and all around mother-type and she'll meet us at the courthouse." I froze in terror. I don't do parental figures. "Don't worry. She's unconventional in the extreme. She'd have to be to put up with our weird arrangements. She's a widow but is quite foxy and very popular with delivery men." Alice's giggle was cute. "And delivery women too." Ah…I guess this Esme truly does fit in well with the Cullen menagerie.

"I know we can't get the girls but is there anyone else you wish could be there?" I couldn't fault Rose for asking. Most people have friends.

"I only had one friend really but I had to cut most contact with Emmy a couple years ago because Victoria didn't like our friendship. We communicate via message board regularly so Em will know I'm ok. Speaking of…I need to post by the end of day tomorrow or all hell could break loose." They looked at me confused but I was basically making a mental note.

"Is this someone we need to get protected at the home?" Alice had her phone out ready to call Jasper but I waved her off.

"Em is older. We met in a university programming class. No worries. I'll give you the details later so that you'll have Emmy's contact information." She shrugged but put her phone away. "Ok ladies, are we almost ready?"

"Yep. Here's your dress and shoes." Alice looked at me timidly but I loved it. It was a snowy white long sleeved dress with a skirt that flowed to the knees but the belt and shoes were both red patent leather. It was young and flirty and sweet.

"It's perfect."

**EPOV**

"Why can't I see her dress yet? It's not like we're following any other traditions, so let me see her without the coat!" I was currently toe to toe with Rosalie because being toe to toe with Alice was more like her nose in my belly. Height can be such a bitch if you want to argue. I'm just saying.

I get thrown off track briefly when I realize that Bella is about the same height as Alice, yet Alice seems smaller. It isn't just me though. I've heard Bella call her "The Little One" or "Tiny" too. Weird. Rose brings me back to the present with her hard, scary tone.

"Edward, this girl has been through hell and even if she doesn't know she wants this part of the tradition, she will come to love it later." I swear Rose is speaking in some weird girl language that I just can't understand. "Just suck it up, Edweirdo. You'll see her dress when we get to Aro's office."

And with that, I was shoved into a car with Sam who was snickering away. Alec drove Bella and the girls so we were a bit ahead of them. There were no paps yet which meant our little shadow for the day was busy posting. We'd probably meet a lot of them on the way out but at least we'd be official then and could escape home.

We have a surprise for our girl once we get home, so it'll be a fun night all the way around.

Sam and I make our way to Judge Aro's chambers and I'm immediately engulfed in a huge hug from Aro. Aro Volta is a casual friend but one that I can trust implicitly. He's slim with a head of black hair and a constant expression of mischief on his face when he isn't handing out judgments. I've often thought he'd be perfect for Carlisle but never thought to make the introductions. We can change that though.

"Aro, before my bride arrives, I want to invite you to a little surprise gathering tomorrow night. Today is my Bella's birthday but with all this going on, I feel like we need another celebration just for her. I'd love to have you there and will be able to explain some things that I'm sure you're curious about as well as introduce you to some good friends." His puckish expression breaks into a completely happy smile.

"Of course, dear boy! I would be honored to attend. Any girl who can catch your heart must be extraordinary. Alice mentioned you met your match intellectually speaking when she called earlier. This should be completely delightful!" I swear he almost bounced a bit.

"Edward!" I turn and am embraced by Esme Platt, our maternal figure and housekeeper. "I couldn't believe it when they told me but now I can see your eyes, it all makes sense." Uh….huh? "Never mind dear. You'll figure it out eventually."

What is with these women?

**BPOV**

Ok, I can do this. I CAN do this. Deep breaths and head up!

I walk into the room where I'll be committing myself to Edward and immediately catch his eye. He looks suddenly terrified which oddly makes me feel better. At least he is here.

Alice does some dramatic move to remove my coat which has me shrugging in confusion. She muttered something about "no clue about entrances…." but I ignored it.

Ok, let's do this. Let's get married.

**EPOV**

She looked breathtaking. The top of the dress was scoop necked to show off her fantastic breasts and collar bones. It had long sleeves that were soft looking and a loose skirt that hung to her knees. It was certainly the most casual wedding dress I've ever seen, but with the red accents, I knew it fit Bella perfectly. How in the hell am I going to protect her virginity when all I want to do is jump her? Fuck it. That can be later's problem. Now, it's time to get married to a beautiful Angel.

**BPOV**

Fifteen minutes later, it was done, and I'm left wondering why people bother to plan huge weddings. I mean, ours was short as hell and casual but I was still so nervous that it's all a blur to me. We met the judge who is fabulous and I want to talk to more at some point just because he's charming and sweet. He asked us questions, I said I do, there were rings and Edward spoke too and then suddenly, we were married.

Edward looked deeply into my eyes after Aro said he could kiss his bride. With firm and purposed movements, Edward grasped my face and laid his lips on my own. It felt less like a kiss and more like a claiming but I loved it just the same. We pulled back and grinned at each other in delight. It didn't matter what the reality was, right then we felt like newly wedded lovers.

The rest of the time passed in another blur of movement. We signed things and Alice took pictures. I had gained a bouquet from somewhere, so I clutched onto the flowers and my man and endured the impromptu photo session. Afterwards we headed outside to the cars only to be met with a few paparazzi. I guess the one from earlier didn't start posting right away so that most of the others would miss the wedding pictures. He's a smart one, that's for sure. We posed a few times and even shared another toe curling kiss where I had to stand several steps up from my husband just to sort of reach his lips. We almost got lost in the kiss but Alice pulled us back, which I will remember to get revenge for later, and we were hustled into the cars.

Amazingly, Edward and I end up alone in a limo. The peace and quiet is a welcome reprieve. I'm used to being on my own a lot in my shed so this 'family' atmosphere will take some getting used to.

"Um, Angel?" I turn and look at my…gulp…husband. He appears to be nervous about something.

"Whatever you need to say, just say it Sugar. I promise we'll figure it out." His grin makes my girly bits tingle but I try to focus on his face as he starts to talk.

"I know we have our wedding bands but I want you to have something else as well. I should've given it to you before the ceremony but Alice was being a tyrant about seeing you." I just look at him in complete confusion. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out another small box. What the hell?

"This was my grandmother's ring. She told me when I was small that I would have it to give to a very important lady in my life. She would've loved you and I know she'd be honored for you to wear it, as would I." His green eyes seem to burn with drive and some kind of emotion.

"Edward, it's your family's ring. I can't-" I don't even get to finish.

"Angel, it's your ring now. You are my family. Please, accept this for me." And he uses those green eyes so well that all I can do is nod stupidly.

"Thank you Angel." His grin is so bright I feel blinded but can't help smiling back. Maybe this means he'll want me to _really_ be his wife. I'm still hoping for a wedding night of my dreams. Maybe I'll get it.


	16. Cake & Fur

**A/N: Time for your friendly Friday update! Enjoy!**

EPOV

By the time we pull into the compound, I can tell the strenuous day has caught up with my bride and made her injuries hurt worse. Thankfully, Carlisle left higher doses of her pain meds with me so we can get her some relief soon. We've even got a cover story for the Feds about him treating her briefly tonight even though it was last night in reality. I can tell she's hurting now. She managed so great today with local anesthetics to the welts but her badly bruised hip and the areas that received hits had to be killing her.

"Oh good, I'm so glad we're home."

Huh. Hearing Bella call my house _home_ did something to me that I couldn't explain. It was like a mixture of pride and possessiveness that made me feel invincible.

"Ah yes, I think Esme has made a nice dinner so we can get some decent food in our bellies before we crash." My bride's eyes look sort of hurt at my statement but I have no idea why. After the car stopped, I jumped up and climbed out before turning around to help Bella. I surprised her by swooping her up into my arms. We may be unconventional, but some traditions should be followed.

"What are you doing, Sugar? I can walk perfectly fine." Bella had one eyebrow raised in a look that spoke of amused tolerance.

"I'm carrying my bride over the threshold! It's good luck!" Bella just giggled happily at me before laying her head on my shoulder with a little sigh.

"I know you're tired but can you have dinner before you go to bed?" This got me another strange look but at least she answered plainly.

"Of course."

"Awesome!"

Now let's just hope that she likes the surprise I arranged for her.

**BPOV**

Well, it's pretty damn clear I won't be having the wedding night of my dreams. Edward has said flat out that I'm supposed to rest tonight. Feeling his arms cradle me as we walk down the hallways of his enormous house is making me want to do anything but rest. For now I'll leave the sex subject alone. I am in pain and really need one of those fabulous pills Carlisle left. But I am not going to let him get away with avoiding me forever. I'll fight dirty if I have to…hmm…dirty sounds pretty good, actually.

"What the-?" Edward had carried me into a smaller dining area towards the back of the house. It was lit with candles and had quiet music playing. The smell of something amazing wafted out from under silver domes at the two place settings.

"Well, it's both our wedding day and your birthday, Angel. I thought we should celebrate." Well damn, every time I think I'll be able to keep my heart safe, he goes and does something sweet as hell.

"It looks amazing, Sugar. Thank you."

"Well, we owe thanks to Esme too since she set this up. I think they must've broken some traffic laws to get here so quickly. Let's eat, love."

Love? He lets endearments slip all the time which just further confuses me. I decide to ignore that quandary and focus on dinner. Esme made us a yummy chicken Florentine with homemade bread and this sauce that was so good I wanted to bathe in it. I think I was even moaning out loud at how amazing the food tasted. Huh. Edward looked a bit uncomfortable. Did he not like the food or were my moans distracting him? Well, his plate is clean, so the food must've been good to him, so that means he does have a reaction to my moaning. I put that information in the mental bank of ways to torture my husband in future.

"Are you done, Angel?" Hmm…his voice is a bit husky. Yum.

"Yes, this was amazing!"

"Here's your pain meds. Why don't you go ahead and take them?" He looks apprehensive, like he isn't sure what I'll do. It's probably best to keep him on his toes, so I just take them without complaint. The sound of singing interrupts my musings, so I look to the door curiously.

"No…it can't be…" Shock has taken my voice away and I feel my eyes fill with tears.

There in the doorway are Alice, Rose, Jasper, Sam, and Seth surrounding Esme who is carrying a cake with candles burning bright. They're all singing Happy Birthday exuberantly though some, like Alice, really are tone deaf. I'm in awe of these people who have taken me in so completely.

The song finishes, but I still just look at them all.

"Love? You need to blow out the candles." Sugar's voice just reminds me how much I have gained in the past few days which causes the tears to start.

Esme shoves the cake at Jasper, who thankfully catches it, before coming over to me and laying one arm over my shoulders gently. "We can be a bit overwhelming to anyone, dear, so don't worry. We just wanted you to know that we're happy to have you here with us and we're glad to be a part of this day for you."

"Thank you." I struggle to find the right words to continue. "I've never had a birthday party before, so this is a first. Thanks everyone!" I manage to get up and go to where Jasper has placed the cake on the table. I feel him take one of my hands while Edward wraps his arms around me from behind. Being between them feels so right that I'm startled a minute but I can't think about that just now.

With a deep huff of air, I blow out the candles. I wished that Sugar could love me the way I love him and that maybe, we can both find that wholeness that we're looking for in our lives.

The group lets out loud cheers when I stand back up but apparently, we're not done celebrating. Alice and Rose bring in numerous gift bags that turn out to be full of clothing.

"We want you to be able to have some things in case you have to go out with Edward or for when you meet with the FBI, but we also thought you deserved some fun stuff. See?" Alice pulls open a bag and pulls out the funniest looking socks I've ever seen. "They are thigh high socks that you can wear around the house with shorts or skirts. They're super warm and sexy as hell, so you can torture Edward!"

"Nice, Al, really nice." Edward's grumble had me cracking up. I guess he enjoyed my thigh highs at the party, so I'll definitely be using these.

"I'm ignoring you, Edwerido. This is a bag of night clothes for you. Enjoy!" Alice gives me an evil grin that would be terrifying if I knew her scheming was against me. My guess is that it's full of soft and skimpy stuff to drive Edward mad with lust. I'm seriously starting to love these chicks.

"Our gift is a joint one with Jasper. We got you this." Sam hands me a small box before wrapping his arm around Seth happily. When I open the box, I find a small silver link bracelet. It's beautiful and delicate. There is one charm on there, a carved wooden wolf. "Our people believed that they could turn into wolves. The wolf is a sign of independence and friendship." I realize then that they must be from the same Native American tribe.

"Thank you so much!" I hug them both happily because they each have a very soothing spirit.

"Ahem." I turn back to Jasper who looks a little nervous. "This is both a gift from me and something that could help you in the future." I open the tiny box and see two charms. One is a little computer keyboard which makes me smile and the other is a star. "The keyboard is just because it reminds me of you, but the star also has a GPS device in it so that we can find you in an emergency."

Jasper looks sort of apologetic about the tracker but I hurry to set his mind at ease. "Thanks! It'll help me remember that I'm not alone anymore, no matter where I am. Really, Jasper, thank you very, very much." Leaning forward, I kiss his cheek. There's a bit of a shock under my lips which causes us both to jump. It's weird because I felt a shock with Edward too, only stronger. I know my cheeks are bright red but am surprised to see Jasper's are as well.

"AHEM." Uh oh…Sugar is not amused. Jasper's gay, so why is he freaking out?

"Oh hush, Edward." Esme Platt just stomps right over his little fit without thinking twice. I seriously love this woman already. "Here, sweetheart. This is a small token but it was something my mother gave to me, and now I give to you."

"But Esme-"

"No buts, young lady. I have given pieces like this to all my kids so you'll just have to learn to accept it." I can't do anything but smile at her. "It's an old piece, said to come from my Romani kin. It's an amethyst set into silver that will help to protect you from negative thoughts and energy."

It was beautiful with a round polished stone set in silver on a long chain. "Thank you, it's beautiful." I manage to lean forward and hug her gently before I start to feel uncomfortable again and needed to pull back. She didn't say anything, just smiled at me in her normal motherly way.

A huge yawn has me grasping back for Edward's hand to support me. Man, Carlisle has some awesome drugs. "Well, I guess the drugs are kicking in, I should-"

"Hey now, Angel. Don't you want my present?" I'm a bit stunned when Edward speaks. When did he get me anything? "Just a few minutes more and I'll let you go rest, all right love?"

Seth hands Edward some sort of box that's oddly covered in little holes. What the…?

"You better open it, Angel. It's not patient at all."

_It?_ He didn't….I yank open the top of the box and stare inside. He did.

"A KITTEN!" My squeal would've embarrassed me at the best of times but I couldn't care less just then. All of my attention was focused on the fluffy grey and white bundle of fur sleeping in the box. Reaching in, my hands meet the softest fur before I'm able to grasp the little creature. A sudden noise alerts me that my new baby is awake and scared.

"Mew?" I swear it sounded like a question.

"Oh baby, don't be scared. I'll take excellent care of you." I bring the kitten up and am surprised to see bright blue eyes staring back at me confusedly.

"It's a boy, but we haven't named him yet. That's for you to do." Edward rubs one long finger on the little kitten's head which has the tiny beast purring at a very loud level.

"Wow. That's some lungs your kitten has, Bella." Jasper looks a bit wary of my new kitten but is still smiling. He really should smile more often because he's even hotter when he does.

"I think we need to get to know him before we choose a name." I need to see his little personality before I decide. "We can just call him 'boy-cat' or something for now."

"Ok, Angel. Why don't we get you and boy-cat settled? Actually, I'm exhausted too and the rest of you seem to be dragging as well. We'll have a hell of a day tomorrow, so let's rest up for it." I know what he's not saying. We'll be meeting with the FBI tomorrow. I'm grateful and a little surprised they haven't beaten down the door yet.

"Ok, let's go to bed." I start to move but am a bit wobbly. Man, that must've been the good stuff. Edward doesn't say anything, just simply scoops me and boy-cat up and starts up the stairs. Alice and Rose bring all my new clothes as well. When Edward sets me on my feet, I turn to go towards the bathroom but am stopped by Alice.

"Edward, get lost for a few minutes so we can help her get settled and changed." She was not asking. Edward looked towards me with a questioning sort of gaze but I just shrugged and nodded. I was too tired to argue. He headed out of the door quickly.

"Now, let's see. The little cat has a litter box over there in the corner and he's already trained to use it." Awesome. Potty-training a kitten did not sound fun. "There's also a water bowl up here but his food will be down in the kitchen with Esme. He's eaten this evening." Rose seems to be thinking if there is anything else I need to know.

"Well, here. This is perfect for a wedding night." Alice traipses over to me with a long white silk gown. It's beautiful but I don't know how to break it to her that it won't have the desired effect, so I put the kitten on the bed and just start stripping. I've gotten used to being somewhat unclothed around these two.

"Ouch. Those look really painful, B." Rose is staring at my hips in horror. I want to hide but remind myself it's not my fault and I have no reason to be ashamed. "I'm impressed you made it through today without breaking down. I'd have been a mess."

"Well, Carlisle put a very long lasting numbing agent on them but it started to wear off during the wedding, so I was glad for the pain meds when we got home." They both kind of nod and step back to look at the nightgown they've just slipped over my head. "Um, you know this gown won't see any action right? Edward is convinced I need protecting from all things sex."

Alice sighed and Rose looked pissed but spoke calmly. "We know. We also know that you're far ahead of him in maturity sometimes. I'm guessing you're in enough pain to make the prospect of sexy times a bit daunting tonight but at least we can start with the temptation now, so that when you're mended, we can up the ante so to speak. He has a serious thing for your thighs, so the socks were a strategic choice on our part." She grins in an 'I'm-taking-over-the-world' kind of way.

"I like the way you think, but haven't you considered that he just doesn't want that with me?" They both started shaking their heads emphatically but Alice answered.

"We know him too well to believe that. He wants you more than he's ever wanted anything. He's just running scared and trying to be protective or some shit. We have no doubt you will wear him down and we plan to help. You guys are perfect together and deserve happiness." I blink back tears but just nod at both of them.

"Ok, so once I'm no longer in pain 24/7, we can put 'Operation Seduce Edward' into full effect." They both laugh at my silly name.

A huge yawn has me clutching back to the bed in support. "Uh…I think I better get horizontal. These drugs have quite the kick." Rose helps me get around the bed and pulls back the covers so I can curl up properly. Once the covers are settled, boy-cat comes prancing up the bed and curls into the crook of my arm before promptly passing out.

"Night Bella." The two women are at the door already. I must be really out of it.

"Night friends." And with that, I was out.

**JPOV**

I have my phone out ready to make the planned call when Cullen wanders into the den where I'm sitting. I just raise an eyebrow at him in confusion.

"The girls are helping Bella get changed and settled." Uh…ok.

"Isn't that your job on the wedding night?" Did that sound bitter? I hope not.

"No, as you know perfectly well. For one, Bella is drugged out of her head at this point and for another, she's been abused for so long that she can't be ready for anything physical." Cullen sounds like he's giving a sermon.

I snort out loud before answering. "Bella is not going to agree with you. And before you argue with me, maybe you should consider that she knows herself better than you." He goes to start arguing right away but I talk over him. "Now, I have to call my buddy at the Bureau and inform him of your marriage. Can you be quiet while I do?"

Cullen just huffs at me but I guess that's the best answer I'm going to get. I dial Quil on speaker and he picks up almost immediately.

"Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do." Well, I guess he's seen the news. Cullen kind of grins at the greeting.

"I thought you might feel that way. I'm actually at the Cullen house now. My appointment was cancelled this morning, so I met with his head of security instead and was hired. I found out about the wedding when I met them here at the house. Bella was very surprised to see me and I was shocked too. But she told Cullen everything before she would marry him, so he knows. He asked me to start immediately when he heard that she had investigated me and trusted the data with me to deliver to you. I have quarters here and will get more briefing from them in the morning. It is their wedding night, after all."

"The king of American business just married our 18 year old abuse victim? It seems pretty fishy. Are you sure he's not involved in the human trafficking?" I knew Quil would have to ask but Cullen didn't and was fuming beside me.

"No, he's not involved. He was outraged and terrified for his wife when he learned of it all. Also, Bella had done a check on him last year when CI offered to fund more of her scholarships. She was concerned that they were involved but found no connections. Cullen is aware of that as well. They legitimately met and fell in love. It's crazy to see them together because it's so obvious the way they feel. I guess maybe genius attracts genius or something." I could see Edward smirk a bit. Fuck, that was sexy. Focus, Whit!

"Ok, ok. But the task force will have a lot of questions for them. We'll give them their wedding night, mainly because you vouch for its authenticity and because I know Cullen would bury us in legal nightmares if we try to come interrogate them now. But, we will require a meeting tomorrow." Quil sounded tired. I felt a little bad lying to him but knew it was for the best.

"They are both prepared to meet with you all tomorrow. Cullen refuses to let her do this alone so you better prepare everyone for his presence. I'll be there too as security with some others. Mr. Cullen is determined to protect his new wife from all harm. He's head over heels for the little lady." I look at Cullen as I say that last part but he looked away. Idiot.

I say my goodbyes to Quil and set up times tomorrow to meet with them. Turning to Edward, I notice that he's scowling at me with a weird expression on his face. I wish that I could hate him. This attraction to him annoys me and my attraction to his wife baffles me.

"You should go rest. The Feds will be here early." He looks at me with the most perplexed look on his face. I have no idea what he is pondering. "Bella should be asleep if her slowing speech at the dinner is any indication, so it's safe for you to go up."

"Listen, don't pretend you know anything about my relationship with her. I have no idea why a gay man would be looking at my wife that way, but stop it." Cullen walks out immediately after delivering that little statement. The guy is seriously coming undone due to one tiny little woman.

I can't say anything though since I am out of it myself. Why do I suddenly want to kiss and caress this woman? I know why I want to touch her husband. He's sexy and strong and makes my mouth water, but she is a mystery. I've never felt desire towards a woman before but this one is almost overwhelming.

I spend a few minutes just thinking about the beauty of the both of them which has my cock hard as steel in my pants. Fuck. I hate cold showers.


	17. Zesty Morning

**A/N: Sorry for the delay all! To make up for it, I'm giving you some lemony fun.**

**Big hugs to Angie and Jane for helping me get my words to come out right!**

**EPOV**

"Fuck you're gorgeous."

"You say the sweetest things, Sugar." Bella's voice is practically a purr as she rolls her hips towards me. I've got my face buried in that slim neck of hers and don't plan to come up for air anytime soon. "Mmm…I think I need some more attention a bit lower, Sug."

I look up and her eyes are shining with lust. All-righty then.

Lowering my head, I nose one satiny strap off of her shoulder before turning to do the same with the other. The top of the gown is still blocking my mouth from her beautiful tits, but I don't want to rush this. She should be savored not devoured. Glancing up, I hold her gaze while I take the edge of the satin into my mouth and start pulling downward. My girl lets out a low moan right as both nipples pop out into open air.

Leaning back, I watch them pebble under my gaze alone. I lean down to the right one first and lick all the way around the nipple over and over again.

"Fuck, Sugar….please!"

Her wish is my pleasure. I suck the whole nipple into my mouth with a happy moan. She tastes divine.

Bella suddenly pushes on my chest and begins to plead. "Please…I need you now, Edward. Take me."

She reaches down and begins to pull her gown up to expose her naked sex. I can smell her arousal and want to bury myself deep right away but I know this needs to be slow.

"Are you sure, baby?"

"Yes. I'm yours."

With that, I settle my naked body between her thighs and begin to push. She's so tight I can't hardly stand it. I can feel her little body tremble under me, so I continue to rock gently into her but she isn't having it. She wraps her legs around my body and pulls hard.

I feel her barrier break and suddenly, I'm buried fully inside her warmth. Bella is taking slow breaths under me but doesn't seem to be too traumatized. After a full minute, I feel her hips tilt a little back and forth and begin to move just slightly.

"I love having you in me, Sugar. Fuck, this is perfect. I love you so much." I want to say it back but am distracted by the strong hands on my hips holding me steady. I can't wait to have him fill my ass while I fill Bella. "I love you both so much."

I don't even have to look because I know our lover is nodding back. He pushes in and I push farther into Bella right as-

"Ouch!"

I'm yanked into consciousness suddenly by a sharp pain on the top of my ass. I can feel movement but can't figure out what's going on until I realize my position.

I'm hard as a rock and wrapped around Bella with her thigh between my legs. My hips have not gotten the memo that I'm awake and are still moving a bit back and forth. An angry sound alerts me to why my ass is stinging and who woke me up.

"Mew." The little boy-cat is sitting on Bella's hip and staring at me accusingly with a look that says that I'm a depraved fucker and he'll be watching me. Well fuck. I just humped my unconscious wife's leg and was caught by a kitten. I reach around to my ass and realize that there's a little blood there. Damn, the little cock-blocker got me good. I want to hate his furry ass but I'm grateful he stopped me.

After pulling my hard-on back to a safe zone, I begin to mull over the dream. God, being with Bella was incredible, even in a dream. And she said she loved me….us.

What. The. Fuck?

Who was behind me? In the dream it was completely natural and unconscious to accept the person but I have no idea who it was in waking life. And Bella loved us both? Gah!

"What's that face for, Sugar?" My beautiful wife was blinking up at me sleepily. The little boy-cat was tucked up in her neck, purring up a storm but one blue eye locked onto me again. Cock-blocker.

"Weird dream, Angel. Nothing to worry about."

"Huh…I dreamed we were making love and our other lover was with us…" I turn back to her so fast I feel dizzy but my Angel is sound asleep again. What the hell does that mean? We're dreaming the same things now?

It's only 4 am but I'm completely freaked out at this point, so I know better than to go back to sleep. I'm horny as all get out because it's been a couple days since the party and I haven't even jerked off in that time. I usually have to get off multiple times a day but having Angel here and hurt has distracted me. I decide to just take care of business now. I'm going to have to get really familiar with my own hand for a very long time. Thankfully I have lots of toys to supplement that action.

I turn on the big shower and go to a drawer to pull out what I need but stop suddenly as realization hits. I haven't even thought about being with Sam and Seth, Alice and Rose, or even Carlisle now that I'm married. I try to imagine being with any or all of them but my hard on goes conspicuously limp. Fuck it all. I put Bella into the scene and immediately have lift off again. For ten minutes I stand there and alternate. It's hilarious how fast the change happens. It looks like I can't possibly have sex with anyone unless Bella is there. A brief image of Whiltlock has me confused but I push that away for another day. I'm too overwhelmed as it is.

Well, all the more reason to get used to taking care of myself again. I grab the dildo I want and turn to the touch screen by the shower to choose an adult entertainment program for my little self-love moment. Oh hell yes, they've got Owen "O" Pounder's gay porn parody of Thor. I do love his hammer. He's the best bi porn actor out there, mainly because he's really bi himself, so he doesn't have to act like he enjoys cock. Too bad he retired last year.

I pull off my boxers and glance in the mirror. That damn cat got me good. As much as I want to hate it, I'm actually glad that it stopped me from humping my unconscious wife. I make a mental note to use anticeptic on the cut after I shower.

My shower is a gift from heaven. I had a rain showerhead as well as jets along the walls and ceiling that you can choose to use or not use. On the wall is a video panel so I can watch my porn while I jerk off in the shower. The thing that makes it truly a work of art is the mounting mechanism that I can put a dildo into and go hands-free. Yes, I'm a sick fucker but damn if I don't enjoy it.

Having stowed my toy in its slot, I quickly lube it up so it will be ready and turn back to face the screen. O, as Thor, is currently demonstrating his solo-hammering technique, so I fast forward until the scene where he is about to demonstrate his ability to pound the hell out of a fellow warrior. The dark haired hunk is around my height of 6'3" and ripped in all the most delicious places. I begin to let my imagination take hold.

_O looks down at me with those electric violet eyes and smirks._

_"As long as you're down there, can you make sure my hammer is working?"_

_I don't even bother to answer before I grab his gorgeous 10 inch cock and bring it to my lips. The head is large and bright pink. I lick the tip with a moan to gather the precum that has begun to leak out. He tastes divine. With one last throaty moan, I pull him in my mouth and begin to maneuver so that I can deep throat his rod. He's so hard and hot in my mouth that I know I'm drooling, but it just makes the blow that much better._

_"That's right. You're such a good little cocksucker. Fuck, do you like my cock in your mouth?" His voice is husky and deep with arousal. I groan around the head of his cock and pull back up to worship the tip once more before trying to take him all in again. _

_"No. I'm going to fuck that tight little ass of yours now. Are you ready for my hammer?"_

_I happily bend over and prepare to be pounded._

I jump out of my head long enough to lube up my ass before continuing. My cock is leaking continuously now but I want to prolong it a bit further. On the screen, O pushes into the tight hole of his partner before beginning a rocking motion that I desperately want to feel. I work to position myself so that the dildo is right at my own pucker before pushing back. The silicon fills my ass well enough that I'm able to get lost in the film again.

_"Are you my little bitch?"_

Yes, I totally am.

_"Fuck, your ass is so tight. Prepare to get nailed." O pulls out and slams back in over and over so hard that my legs are shaking. I love the feeling of his hand pulling my own cock as he fucks me. I'm so close to exploding that I want to weep but he doesn't let up. His thrusts pick up as he tilts just right to hit my prostate. As soon as he pushes back in, I start to come in long ropes._

"Fuck." By the time I come back to my senses, the scene has changed and my cock has gone placid in my hand. Leaning forward, I ease my ass off of the dildo with a happy grunt. Damn, I needed that.

Now that I've had my self-love, I actually get down to the business of showering and getting ready for my day. Hopefully that will hold me until tonight's shower or hand-job.

**BPOV**

A soft sensation on my face is the first thing I'm aware of as I wake. At first, I think Edward must be touching me but I realize quickly that it can't be him. He's not that furry. I open one eye and am immediately gazing into a tiny blue eyeball right in front of my nose. Boy-cat is seriously nose to nose with me. Another soft movement on my cheek makes me glance over sort of cross-eyed to investigate.

"Awww!" My little kitten is petting me awake. His little paw just strokes once in between each head-butt.

"That is seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen." Hmm…Sugar's voice is kind of husky in the mornings….so hot….

"Isn't he great?" I'm beaming at my little guy when I realize that his fur has a pattern to it. "Holy crap, he has a total porn-stache!"

"Huh?" Edward's confused grunt comes from the sofa which makes me realize he's not beside me. I watch him put a laptop to the side and cross over to sit beside me and peer at our new baby curiously.

"Look. Right above his mouth is this white mustache!" It's true. The little guy has totally got a full on Magnum-stache.

"Holy crap! He really does have one!" Sugar starts laughing at our little fur-baby and his laugh is so sexy, _I_ want to purr. "What are you going to name him, Angel?"

I look back to my little guy and just stare for a minute before it comes to me. "Charlie."

"Uh…Charlie? That's a dude's name. Aren't kittens supposed to be named like 'Fluffy' or 'Mittens'?" Charlie and I both turn to give Sugar a dirty look.

"Our fur-baby is too cool for that shit." I swear the little cat nods, but I'm caught in too much panic to comment on it. I just referred to him as our 'baby'. Edward just smiles a little though, so I go on quickly. "I lived with a man named Charlie and his wife for a few months when I was about five or six. It's the only foster home that I really loved. He was a cop and had this totally huge mustache. He used to tinker with machines in the garage and that's where I learned to like electronics."

"Why didn't you stay with him and his wife, Angel?" Edward's eyes hold infinite sympathy.

"He was on patrol one day when he went into a convenience store for coffee. Some drugged up punk tried to rob the place, saw him and freaked out so much he started shooting his gun. Charlie threw himself in front of a pregnant woman to save her but was hit in the head. Carol tried to keep me but she was too devastated and had lost a lot of money from having to take off work and stuff, so the state took me back." I was still pissed about that because she had needed someone then.

"Well then, Charlie is a great name for our baby." Edward just grinned at me before scratching Charlie's tiny head.

He let out a huge sigh suddenly. "Angel, I think you should probably get up because the Feds will most likely be here first thing." Glancing at the clock, I realized it was 7:30 am and that he was right.

"Ok, I need to shower and change, so can you take Charlie down for some breakfast and I'll meet you there when I'm done?" He nodded and took off after a quick kiss to my forehead.

Time to enjoy Sugar's fuck-awesome shower. I wonder if you can get porn on the little tv in there?


	18. Coffee & A Surprise

** A/N: Happy Friday Everyone! I'm trying hard to stick to weekly updates. I was getting low on prewritten chapters but I had some time to kill and am now confident in my cushion. Just for that reason, I may just update again tomorrow. Reviews would help spur me along!**

**For those of you who saw this coming...enjoy!**

**JPOV**

I spent too much of last night on the computer doing security checks, so I seriously needed some coffee. As I wander into the kitchen, I quickly realize that living somewhere with a housekeeper/cook had some perks.

"Morning Jasper, dear." Esme Platt smiled sweetly at me and handed me a cup of coffee fixed exactly how I like it. How on earth did she remember that from last night? "I'm making blueberry pancakes and bacon, so just sit down and I'll bring it over."

"See, living the high life has it's perks." Alice gave me a cheeky grin before grabbing her own coffee and settling down at the table. I sat down across from her right as Rose wandered in as well. Damn, they were a beautiful couple. I had done background checks on them as well, so I knew that they had been together a long time and that they'd met Edward in college.

"Have we heard from the happy couple yet?" Rose just grunted at her mate instead of answering. I guess she doesn't do mornings.

"No, but I'm guessing it was a quiet night since Little B looked half asleep before she even went up." I was purposefully not thinking about the possibility of sex between them.

"Yeah, she was out before we left. I have a feeling she'll make Edward start to suffer pretty quickly though." Alice looked downright gleeful about it. "Those thigh-highs are going to make him miserable. Too bad we're entertaining the febees today since she probably won't wear them for that."

"So you guys realize his idiotic plan too." Both women grinned at me but it was Esme that answered.

"I think everyone sees his stupid mindset, including his lovely new wife. I imagine she'll be testing him soon though." She was grinning too. Man, his friends were extremely excited at the idea of his suffering continual blue balls.

"Morning all." Sam and Seth walk in hand in hand. They too had passed the background checks.

"Oh yeah, Major…" I look at Rose curiously before she can continue. "What? It's a good nickname for you."

"Ok then."

"Bella has a friend that she keeps in contact with electronically. Here's the info so you can check it out. She has to post on their message board today or this 'Emmy' will apparently freak out and come looking." She has the weirdest smile on her face. This cannot be good.

Taking the paper, I look down to find out this 'Emily' person's full name but am shocked by what I see.

"Seriously?" I'm still floored but Rose has the hugest grin on her face. Cullen is going to be pissed when he finds out.

"Oh, it gets better."

Ok, now I need to know. I pull out my phone and Google the name while I take another drink of coffee. I don't even realize I'm choking until Sam starts smacking my back. Oh holy fuck-balls. This is too much.

"It can't be that one…" My raspy voice brings out a full-on laugh from the blonde across from me.

"Oh, but it is."

"He's going to flip the fuck out. Wow, I'm a huge-"

"Douche?" Cullen's voice interrupts my sentence. Ass. Looking back at the browser results, I start to smile a huge satisfied grin before shooting the info to my guy, Felix, at the guard house to fully check out. Rose just nods at me in complete understanding. He is in for one rude awakening. "Hey, Esme, Charlie is hungry."

"Wait. I thought we were talking about that Emily. Who the fuck is Charlie?" Alice has lost the plot. I guess Rose didn't share her news with her wife so Alice must think we're talking about Bella's mysterious friend.

"This," Cullen holds up the kitten "is Charlie. Who's Emily?" Now he's confused.

"Oh, Bella has a friend she keeps up with online called Emmy. I just assumed it was Emily. Jasper's going to check her out." I glance over at Rose who shakes her head minutely. I'm in total agreement. "And what kind of name is Charlie for a kitten?"

"It's because of his mustache." Huh. Now that I look, the little guy does have a total white furry mustache. "Bella had a foster father who had one like that. It was a good situation but he died so I guess it's a compliment to his memory or something." Damn. Our poor girl had a shit-tastic hand dealt to her in life but she's still sweet regardless. That takes some serious heart.

"Well then, Charlie is a fine name." Esme has dropped two platters full of food on the table before grabbing the kitten from Edward. "Let's get you some breakfast, Charlie." She immediately starts to coo at the little bundle and carries him over to spoil him properly.

"So, how was your night, boss?" Sam's tone held a wealth of humor.

"Restful." Cullen just sounded constipated. I could see every single person in the kitchen wearing a smirk like mine except for him. Idiot.

My phone buzzed with an incoming text.

**On way with 4 others. ETA 30 min –Q**

"Quil says the Feds are on their way and will be here in 30 minutes."

"Ok, my personal attorney will be here around the same time. He's just going to sit in as a precaution. Did you get him fully briefed yesterday, Rose?" Cullen is tense with worry about the morning's meetings.

"Yep. We met for well over two hours yesterday to make sure he knows what's going on, and Jasper cleared him yesterday." I nodded. He was a boring guy but on the up and up. I imagine Bella would do her own check though.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen!" Seth's cheery greeting made me suddenly furious. What the hell? I swear I need therapy.

"Well that'll take some getting used to." Bella's dry sarcasm always cracked me up. She and Cullen were a match in that department. "Morning all."

Her hair was wet but pinned on her head in a bun. I noticed she was wearing a light skirt and sweater combo that was a gorgeous blue color that made her skin kind of glow.

Gah. Gay, Whit. Gay.

"Esme's feeding our fur-baby**." **What? Oh God. Cullen went bright red as soon as the words left his mouth but the damage was done. Everyone was howling. Rose was actually banging her fist on the table while laughing. Even Bella snickered a bit. "Shut the hell up. All of you!"

My phone buzzing halted my own laughter.

Holy fuck! Oh hell yeah! It is on!

"Um, Bella? It seems your friend Emmy is at the gates and demanding to be let in." I show her the picture of the person that Felix had taken at the guard house.

"Oh crap. I should have figured Em would see the news and freak. It's ok." She is already standing up to go to the door, and I can see that Rose has taken her coffee and beat a hasty path out as well. I guess she wants a good seat for the show.

"Your friend is here already? Has she been checked?" Cullen sounds panicked so I look down at my phone and make sure Felix has done a preliminary check before I nod.

"I assure you Em is clean. I check everyone, Sugar." Ooo…someone is feisty this morning. Bella just swishes those little hips of hers and heads out. Every single one of us goes as well. I think Rose's glee must've tipped them off to something being weird.

The bells rings, so I hang back and just wait to see Cullen's head explode.

**EPOV**

Huh. This should be interesting. Bella had mentioned a friend named Em but I had no idea they would show up the day after our marriage was announced. When she talked about her, she said that they had to keep in touch online because Victoria didn't approve of Emmy.

Bella is about ten feet ahead of us when the knock comes on the door. My instinct is to rush over and throw myself in front of her, but I know that security would have checked this girl and Bella's own background checking is more than thorough. Besides, how bad can a teenage girl be to deal with?

Rose opens the door with a flourish and just steps back with her coffee in hand. Weird. Turning back, I get the shock of my life.

"EMMY!" My gorgeous wife has taken flight and is throwing herself into the arms of a huge man…a huge man that I suddenly recognize. O Pounder, the porn star I jacked off to this morning, has his hands on my wife's ass.

"What. The. FUCK? Get your fucking hands OFF OF MY WIFE!"


	19. O' My

**A/N: Happy Friday Everyone! Now, I know I didn't post another chapter like I said I would last week, so you get two in a row this week. I was having a writing crisis and needed my awesome prereaders to convince me it was ok. Big hugs to Jane and Angie for previewing and talking me down.**

**Introducing...O Pounder, aka Emmett McCarty**

**EmPOV**

Bella Swan. Little B. Tink. Best Friend. I've called her a lot of nicknames over the years but I never figured I'd have to add Bella Cullen to the list.

It's been two years since I actually laid eyes on Bella. We met three years ago in a masters level programming class. I was already 23 and still doing porn to build up my nest egg and pay for school. I loved my work but I had dealt with my fair share of bad attitudes and idiocy from teachers and classmates alike which is why I befriended B to begin with. Bella was a beautiful girl but you could still tell she was definitely younger than the normal student. Other students either wanted to cheat off of her or just ignored her and called her freak, but the little hellcat just pretended they didn't exist and blew through the assignments like they were nothing. The very first day of class, I decided we were going to be friends and I'm grateful every day that she agreed. I guess freaks just stick together.

By the time she was 16, I knew there was something going on at that home where she lived. I had met a lot of people who had abusive childhoods in my time, so I knew the signs. She refused to talk to me about any of it though. I surprised her one day at the home because I thought I could get an idea of the situation, but it backfired horribly. The crazy-cougar-matron-lady recognized me from my movies and freaked out. I didn't hear the actual conversation, but Bella ushering me off the premises and then going silent for a while gave me the gist of it. I wasn't suitable for an orphan girl's friend.

About a week later, Bella resurfaced looking more haunted than usual. She made me meet her at some weird café but then dragged me out the back entrance and into a library restroom before she would talk at all. She wouldn't say what had happened to her but she was moving a bit weird. I was ready to storm that fucking "school" and tear every mother fucker there limb from limb. Once again, Bella stopped me with a statement that has haunted me every day since.

"If you show your face there, we'll both be dead."

I begged her to go to the cops but she just laughed this horribly old-person sounding laugh and told me she didn't know which cops to trust. My next move was to beg her to run away with me. I had enough money that we could live in some less developed country for a long time. She just kind of smiled and shook her head at me. I mean, yeah, a 24 year old porn star taking a hot 16 year old orphan overseas to live didn't sound good, but at least she would've been safe.

And yes, I was very well aware that my little friend was hot. She was sexier than most of my female co-stars combined but I refused to let my mind go there while she was a kid. But she wasn't a kid, not really, and it broke my fucking heart.

She obviously refused to leave with me, and that's when I realized that it was because of the other girls she was tight with at the home. She had talked about them with me, so I already felt like I knew them. I could see she loved them and knew it was useless for me to fight her on leaving.

At last, I just begged her to tell me how I could help her. That's when she broke the news that we couldn't hang out anymore. I was devastated. This tiny slip of a girl had become the best friend I'd ever had almost from the start. We had spent hours talking computers and ideas and dreams. We did assignments together, had meals and just had fun when she could get away. I felt the pain of her news deep inside but couldn't blame her because I saw the same pain reflected back at me.

She did say that even if we couldn't see each other, we could still stay in touch and stuff online. Apparently the people she was afraid of weren't computer savvy so she would be able to talk to me online via our own message board. The kid was scary smart and creative as hell so I never once doubted her abilities.

Actually, Bella's brains had helped me make the transition from porn to programming. She had rewritten some of the code for an App that I was designing and her changes finished it enough for sale. It had gone over like gangbusters, so I was officially able to switch to software design full-time. Since Bella helped, I was adamant that she have a percentage.

We decided in the "Great-Girls-Room-Pow Wow" that I would put money into an online account for her and maintain a mailbox for her at one of those package stores. If there was a particular piece of equipment she needed, I would find it and send it to her. She couldn't have money lying around because it would draw suspicion but she could have electronics without causing any alarm.

All of that was well and good but I wanted to know what was going on and how to help her out of it. That's where the real fight began. Bella flat-out refused to tell me anything. She said that it was safer for both of us for me not to know but that she was ok and would tell me eventually. I didn't buy the ok crap and called her on it. Then she gave me the ultimatum.

Either I dropped my investigation and trusted her or she would cut off all contact. I tried to counter with the authorities again but her brittle laughter and assurances of a horrible effect on her from such an action halted that line of thought again. Those big brown eyes were not lying about the trouble. Once I conceded the police idea, she got down to the nitty gritty and made me swear an oath that has eaten away at me for too long.

I swore to her on her life that I would not ask questions, dig or speak of her situation to anyone until she gave me permission. No amount of arguing or begging would sway her, so in the end, I gave my word with the stipulation that she contact me every three days at the very least so that I would know she was ok.

That was two years ago, and I kept my word. Our friendship hasn't diminished in the least over the time apart, but I have to admit I've been looking forward to her 18th birthday because I figured it would give us the chance to actually see each other face to face.

So imagine my fucking shock when I go online last night and find that my beautiful little friend married the richest man in the country the very day she turned 18. A part of me that I don't want to think about was irate at the idea of someone getting to be with her like that but the other part of me was just scared. She was under the thumb of some powerful people already and now she's married to a guy that rules the technology and entertainment worlds.

Something was just wrong with this picture, so I hopped a plane from L.A. last night and went straight to the great Edward Cullen's doorstep to find out what the fuck is going on and why my sweet friend married a complete stranger.

All of which brings me to my current situation where I'm riding in a cart from the gate of a humongous estate to the house itself while being given the look of death from two armed guards. The one next to me is kinda sexy actually but the gun does a great deal to cool my admiration. Glancing down towards his holster again, I'm caught by surprise when he speaks.

"If you so much as look at the little lady the wrong way, I will shoot you and no one on this estate would ever turn me in."

OK then…note to self…these fuckers mean business.

"Well, know this, if I get even the slightest whiff that your boss wants my friend for anything underhanded or dirty, I will have her out of this place so fast your head will spin." I'm not sure how I'd back that one up, but I'm sure B would have some ideas. The girl has serious evil-genius potential.

"Noted. I'm Felix." Ok, well it would seem that the threat was a test that I passed. Great. "Are you really some huge porn star?" He starts to ramble a bit before I can speak. "I meant popular porn star, not huge. Do you really do guys and girls in real life?"

"Well, Felix, I assure you that I am both popular _and _huge. And yes, I'm bi." I give him the panty dropping grin I keep for this type situation but he doesn't appear to be interested. Too bad. Assuming he's on the up and up, it would have been fun to play with him some.

"We're here." The quiet guy in the front speaks which brings me back to the present situation.

The house is fucking huge. And it's obviously a secure property, but that could be a good thing or a bad thing. I guess I'll find out in a few seconds.

The door is opened by a seriously gorgeous blonde woman but I don't have too long to notice her hotness because Bella is running towards me.

"EMMY!"

I grab her up to me and hold on tight. I put every worry and memory and feeling I have into that hug. And it doesn't escape my notice that she is even sexier than before.

"WHAT THE FUCK? Take your FUCKING HANDS OFF OF MY WIFE!"

Bella tenses up in my arms at his voice. I look over and get quite a shock. Every single person is hot as hell. What is this place?

"Er, Em? I think you should put me down now." Bella sounds very calm and composed but I can see her looking over her shoulder at the group nervously.

"Yes. Put her down!" Edward Cullen is being held back by two big guys but he looks furious. One of the guys is giving me just as evil a death stare as Cullen. I can't help but notice the guy is a seriously fine piece with blonde hair and long limbs. He totally screams military and I do love a military man.

Gah! Focus!

"B, tell me fast. Are you here of your own will? Do we need to escape?" She leans back and just kind of smiles sweetly at me but doesn't get a chance to answer because her supposed husband starts screaming again.

"Shoot him Whitlock!" Uh…gulp.

"Will G.I. Sexy over there really shoot me?" I hear someone snicker but I'm too focused on protecting me and Bella to find out who.

"Bella Cullen! GET OVER HERE THIS INSTANT!"

And with that, I find out that Bella isn't the one who needs protecting at all.

**EPOV **

Oh crap. Now, while I feel totally justified in my anger right now, I'm quickly realizing that ordering my wife around may not be the best idea.

She has managed to unwrap herself from the giant in my foyer and has whirled around to fix me with a look that has me wanting to hide.

"Excuse me?" Her voice is deadly calm.

"Um, I meant, please let go of the porn star and come over here where you're safe?" I know it sounds like a question but I'm honestly frightened of the stare she's giving me. It's the kind that says 'I-can-destroy-your-man-parts-and-get-away-with-it '.

"I have let go of my _friend _and you all better listen close when I say that NO ONE will be harming Emmett." I can hear Whitlock shifting a bit under her stare. Great, even the decorated soldier is frightened of her wrath.

"Well ok then, it would seem that Bella does _not_ need rescuing." The guy that I can't stop calling "O Pounder" in my mind has a huge grin on his face while he watches the scene. "Perhaps a round of explanations would be good, yes? Unless Major Hotness there with the gun wants to interrogate me. I'm ok with the blonde goddess and the tiny fairy joining in if they want."

Smack.

My Angel jumped about a foot in the air and just smacked the back of his head. The big guy is rubbing his skull and giving Bella a long-suffering look.

"Jasper Whitlock is our head of security. While the title you gave him suits him nicely, please _try _to be nice." What the fuck? She thinks Whitlock is 'Major Hotness'? "Edward, stop growling. You know you find him hot too."

"Oh REEEALLY?" Now Emmett is seriously intrigued. Great. Thanks Angel.

"We're an interesting bunch but you're out of luck with Rose aka 'Glamazon' and Alice aka 'Tiny'. They're married." His smile falls a bit but it doesn't slow him down.

"I love lesbians!" I see Bella take a deep breath in through her nose but Rose and Alice are laughing delightedly. "And it's funny to hear you call someone 'Tiny' there, Tink."

"I know, right?" Alice is smiling up at O, ahem Emmett, like he's her new best friend.

"Ok folks, as interesting as all this is, we have the feds arriving within ten minutes." And there goes the levity. At least Whitlock remembered the situation.

"The feds? What the hell, B?" Emmett has dropped the goofy face and is staring down at my wife in concern.

"Ok, Jasper can you stall them a few minutes?" My Angel has a plan.

"Yep. I'll double check their security credentials and such. It'll drive them crazy." He looks way too gleeful about that.

"Ok, Emmett, come with me and Edward to get the brief version. Um….Rose?"

"Yeah honey?" Rose finally drops her spectator's grin and looks at Bella seriously.

"Maybe you and Alice can fill in more after we have to go to talk to the feds? Uh…Jasper, is there someone who could _guard_ the door?" She gives Jasper a significant look before glancing back at Emmett.

"Sure thing, Little Bit. Felix can watch out for them while we deal with the feds." I'm ignoring the fact that he's rubbing her back as he says this. Ignoring it….

"Ok, Em, come with us." Finally, she takes my hand and meets my eyes before dragging me down the hall to the sitting room.

**EmPOV**

Well, this is definitely an unexpected turn of events for this little trip. I thought I might have to break Bella free of her new hubby or maybe even give him the "hurt her and die" speech but apparently that'll have to wait. There's bad shit a-brewin'. I have the feeling that I'm finally going to learn the truth about Bella.

"B, just tell me first. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I am and will continue to be, Big Guy." She smiles a little before joining her hubby on the love seat. The guy is clearly over the moon for her from the way he watches her and his protective posture.

Most people just see the porn star but in reality, I'm a pretty intuitive guy and damn smart. It's why my programs always sell.

"Em, the reason I had to break off contact with you is because I needed to protect the girls. For years, Victoria would use me as her own personal sex toy or whipping girl."

I'm on my feet before I know it. "I WOULD HAVE HELPED YOU!"

"You couldn't. She's a small part of a huge organization that traffics in kids."

What the fuck? "They're selling kids?" I know that shit happens but from an orphanage? With _my_ friend?

"Yeah. By the time we met, Victoria was basically done with me sexually. I was too developed for her tastes." Oh God. I want to slam my hands over my ears but I know I can't. "She threatened to start selling naked pictures of my girls, Em. I had to protect them so I stayed quiet and did what she wanted."

"But, we all could've run-"

"Em, you'd be a federal fugitive if you did that and they would probably have found us. There's been a price on my virginity for years." Oh…oh….oh….

"Here man." Her husband is handing me a bottle of water with a completely sympathetic look on his face.

"Wait…he didn't buy you, did he?"

"NO! Edward saved me."

"I think it's the other way around, but the answer is still the same. No, I would NEVER buy a person." I instantly believe him because it's clear as day how much he hates the idea. It's also clear that he loves my little Bella. I push the jealousy down for the moment to focus on the news I'm hearing.

"So, I've been using what I'm good at to get as much evidence as humanly possible." What she's good at….

"You brilliant little-"I take a breath. "You could have been tortured or killed!"

"She was." Bella immediately gives her new husband the stink eye.

"I survived and gathered enough evidence to destroy them but the problem was that I had no idea who to trust. This thing has people in law enforcement, social services, even the government. So, I bided my time until Victoria and her associate Caius came up with a plan of their own." Now she's grinning at Cullen.

"Ahem. Since Bella obviously trusts you, I will divulge some very well kept secrets. Do I have your word that they don't leave this room?" I can see why he's feared in the boardroom. The guy may be my age but he commands respect. I just nod.

"Well, my best friend Rose works for me but also has a side job that is top secret."

"Ooo…is blondie a spy? That's hot!"

"No." Cullen clears his throat again. "Have you ever heard of Mistress Selena?"

"OH. OH MY GOD! I have always fucking wondered about that shit. Your friend is _the Miss S?_"

"Yes. And I am one of the members. I always go in disguise and help her to maintain security so that no one can track the members or the parties. Well, almost no one." He grins at Bella.

"I was ordered to find out who, what and where for the next Mistress Selena party but I didn't do exactly what they asked. I found them and broke in easy enough and managed to score myself an invite to the next party. Their plan was for me to engage in some sex acts with the richest person there and then they would blackmail them with the footage." Ok, and back to furious but Bella is still grinning. Weird. "I went and met Edward who I thought would be an impossibility because he only gets with guys at the parties."

"Wait…your new hubby is Bi? That's just perfect for you, B."

"I know, right?" Bella gives me a brilliant smile but Cullen takes over.

"Well, after enjoying some friendly encounters-"

"Some? You were the bell of the ball, Sugar. Men were all up on you." Bella sounds proud? Ok, so I guess she's become a super freak in the past two years. Good to know. I knew she found gay sex hot but voyeurism was a new thing. Images of a Bella and Cullen sandwich fly through my head but I try to ignore them.

"Anyways." The famous mogul looks a bit pink cheeked at his wife's praise. "I saw this vision of naughtiness and couldn't resist. She was like an Angel just standing there so perfect. I went over and started talking in Portuguese-"

"He always goes in disguise and with a foreign language." She's so proud of him. It's cute.

"And she answered me and then switched to Mandarin or something. We went through 7 or 8 languages before we went back to English. I couldn't believe my luck that this beauty had a brain that could keep up with me. We separated from the group and went to a private room where we talked for a long time."

"But then I just had to jump him. I couldn't have regular sex but we did indulge in some hot and heavy oral and anal entertainment. And no, he did not know I was underage." Bella has provided me with some seriously vivid mental imagery that is hard to get past. "I was taping it all via an invention of mine but I couldn't do it. I knew from the first word I wouldn't go through with it."

"So she managed to get me handcuffed to a bed frame and left with some cryptic words, tears and a random gift of the necklace she was wearing. Alice ran in about ten minutes later because she had remembered Bella's face from our scholarship files and was freaking out. We thought she was 16 because Victoria made her change all her official information. I was determined to find her though because I could tell she was in trouble." Man, I wish someone would look at me the way he's looking at her. It was pure love.

A knock on the door interrupted the moment.

"Oh damn…we have to go meet the feds. I'll call in Rose and Ali to finish. Felix is at the door in case you lose it and want to hurt someone for revenge, but try not to, ok?" Bella has this pleading look on her face so I just nod. "And don't let Rose show you the tape from the party."

"There's a tape?" I'm not going to lie about my interest.

A sultry voice from behind me has me whirling. "Oh hell yes, hunk-of-man. And it was H-O-T!" This Rose and I are going to get along just fine.

"Ready Angel?" Cullen is giving Bella a close study.

"Always, Sugar." And with that, I was left with the beautiful lesbians to hear the rest.


	20. Meeting the Feds

**A/N: Here, as promised, is your bonus chapter. Thanks for all the amazing reviews. It inspired me so much that I'm about 7 chapters ahead now! I may even be persuaded to do another surprise update if I get enough reviews!**

**Now, Angel, Sugar and Major Hotness meet the feds.**

**BPOV**

Ok, ok…I can do this. I feel like I've been saying that to myself a lot lately.

"Ok Angel. The trick is to walk in like you own the place. Which technically you do, I guess."

"Huh?" What the hell is Sugar on about?

"Well, as my wife, you own half the house, well all of my houses, and the company now." Instead of being nervous or upset at the prospect of sharing his vast fortune with a "forced" wife, the damn man looks completely happy.

What the hell is up with that?

"Well, while I appreciate the pep talk and the info, which we _will_ be discussing later, I don't think it helped much." He has the grace to look chagrined at least.

"Sorry. I forgot you didn't know that part." Instead of another pep talk, Edward just leaned down and claimed my mouth hotly. I completely forgot about the federal agents waiting for us behind the door and got lost in my husband.

"AHEM!" I'm guessing by the volume of his fake cough and the somewhat pissed and aroused look on his face that Jasper has been trying to get our attention for a while. Yeah, I can see he finds Edward hot. Who wouldn't?

"Go away." Edward leans down to kiss me again but Jasper interrupts with a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh yeah, don't mind me. I'll just sit here and watch with the four federal agents, prosecutor and your lawyer." Jasper's droll statement brings me back to earth but apparently doesn't faze Sugar.

"I won't." He leans down to kiss me again but I quickly clap a hand over his mouth. I get the big puppy eyes which are like my own kryptonite but I divert my gaze and remain firm.

"He's right, Sugar. We have an audience." With a roll of the eyes and a long-suffering huff, Edward pulls back and puts his arm around me to lead me into the lion's den.

**EPOV**

I was really getting into my groove with Angel when Whitlock had to butt in. I didn't want to acknowledge the feds in the sitting room or my own lawyer because it just reminded me that my beautiful, sweet wife was still in serious danger.

"Hello Edward." My lawyer, Jenks, is the first to greet me. I thought it best to have representation here as protection for Bella and myself.

"Jenks, how's Ellen and Lulu?" Jenks was a quiet man who enjoyed a very simple life with his wife and young daughter. I liked him better for it.

"Very well, thanks. Congratulations to you on your marriage." His voice conveys total sincerity. "Hello Mrs. Cullen, I'm Jason Jenks, Edward's personal attorney."

"Please call me Bella, Mr. Jenks." Damn, she's a natural at this shit.

"Only if you'll call me Jason." Angel nods before looking around at the five other people in the room with our group.

"Mr. Cullen, Bella, this is Special Agents Quil Atera, Leah Waters, Paul Murdock and Jacob Black. And this is Carmen Eleazar, the Federal Prosecutor." Whitlock performs the introductions. Atera looks like a decent guy but the jury is still out on the others.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, it's nice to meet you. I just wish we didn't have to intrude on your honeymoon." Atera takes the lead and strides over to shake both our hands with a firm grip. I notice instantly that while Murdock and the prosecutor give Bella the exact same respectful grip as me, the other two just kind of act like she's lesser somehow.

"Agent Atera, Jasper has spoken highly of you. Please call me Bella." Again, my girl just oozes graciousness and maturity. "Would anyone like coffee or tea?"

"Actually, your _lovely_ housekeeper has already been in and taken orders." Huh, Ms. Eleazar seems to like Esme.

"I think Esme's just the _keeper_ in general around here from what I've seen. She's amazing."

"Oh thank you, sweetheart. It's so nice to overhear kind words about oneself." Esme pushes the coffee service in with a flourish. I see that she's donned a frilly apron with an oddly bulging pocket over her black pants. She walks over to Bella first with a cup of coffee and a muffin. "You didn't get to eat much earlier, sweetheart, so I brought you a little something."

"Thanks Esme. I'll probably need it." Bella's voice is warm. I've noticed that she seems more comfortable with Esme than the other women, and I hope she's able to get closer to our maternal figure.

"MEOW!"

A small furry head pokes out of Esme's apron pocket letting loose an awe inspiring howl. Charlie pushes a paw out and reaches towards Bella insistently.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot. He was rather inconsolable in the kitchen. I think the poor baby is still a bit unsure of himself and just wants you." Esme just pulls the little guy out and hands him to a grinning Bella.

"Sorry baby. It's ok." She begins to coo a bit and the little beast just plops down on her lap with a happy sound.

"I hope no one's allergic to cats. Charlie here is a very new addition and quite attached to his new mother already." Esme has a huge smile on her face as she winks flirtatiously at Ms. Eleazar. Priceless.

"Yes, he was a surprise birthday present last night from Edward. We had talked earlier in the day about our childhoods and he remembered I said that I always wanted a pet." Angel turns to smile softly at me and I get lost in those big brown eyes again.

"Ok, I guess the press wasn't lying about you two." I have no idea what that means, but manage to tear my eyes away from my wife and look back to the agents. It's Atera who is speaking again. "Bella, first let me say that I am in awe of your strength and tenacity to endure such torture for years and come out as a refreshing and upstanding young woman."

My Angel just blushes beautifully. The youngest agent, Jacob Black speaks up suddenly. He looks oddly familiar to me.

"You should know that you have choices, Miss Swan. If _Mr. Cullen_ is a part of this and forcing you to be here, you can tell us. We can protect you even from the mighty Cullen." Hmm…I'm going to hate him. But at least I know where I recognize him from now. I know his father who is not my biggest fan either.

"It's Mrs. Cullen actually. Bella to my friends." He grins in what I guess is supposed to be a charming way.

"Bella-"

"_You _may call me Mrs. Cullen." As if to punctuate her statement, Charlie stands up and looks right at the guy and hisses loudly before curling up on Bella's lap again and fixing him with a death stare.

I knew I loved that cat.

"And Edward is my husband and friend. Our relationship may not be conventional but we are deeply in love and I can assure you that I'm here because I want to be." She fixes each person with a look of dead seriousness. "I don't know how but this man saw past the abused orphan and chose me so I'll be damned if I listen to anyone disrespect him."

Black just looks constipated. I notice Jenks hasn't spoken up to object but I can see him smiling at Bella in approval. I guess he's going to be silent but threatening today.

"I apologize for my young colleague, Bella." Quil Atera gives Black the side eye before continuing. I notice that Bella has grabbed a tablet from the coffee table and is busy typing while he speaks. "We looked into Mr. Cullen as a precaution when it was discovered that one of his employees was involved but ruled him out due to his long history of work for underprivileged kids and his unblemished record."

I imagine there was more to it than that but it's nice to hear nonetheless.

"Mr. Atera, before we begin, I want to make sure that I have complete immunity for anything I've done in their schemes or as a safety measure for myself." Bella fixes him with her most serious look. I can see that the female agent is revising her opinion of my wife. Good. The sooner they realize not to underestimate her, the better.

"I'll answer that." Ms. Eleazar is focused on Bella and me with an intimidating stare. "You are fully protected from prosecution and are considered a valued witness in this matter."

"Excellent. Then would you care to explain how you got into the FBI with a B- average and a few drunk and disorderly arrests, Mr. Black? Or was it your father, the Senator's, influence?" I'm sure I'm beaming like a lunatic but I'm just ridiculously proud of my Angel. I can hear Whitlock snickering and even see smiles on the faces of the other agents and Ms. Eleazar.

"How dare you? Those are confidential files!" Black is bright red and spluttering.

"That may or may not be, but as previously stated, Mrs. Cullen is protected from prosecution for anything done to protect herself. I'd say research on the people around her is self-defense." Jenks is trying really hard not to smile.

"Of course she is fine. I'd be shocked if she didn't check us all out." Atera is shooting Whitlock a completely amused look. "And I didn't inhale, no matter what the file says."

"I believe you." Bella smiles back at the agent happily. "Now, let's get down to it. You have the videos and the pictures Mr. Whitlock took of my most recent injuries. What else can I do to help nail these fuckers?"

And the room becomes somber once again.

**JPOV**

After the initial introductions, I've been content to sit back and watch the interrogation. Though I think interrogation is an incorrect term. Bella's been directing the whole conversation so smoothly that the agents haven't even thought to object.

"So, you've built all of the equipment yourself?" Quil's voice holds a hint of awe in it.

"A lot of it, yes, but I did buy some things." Bella doesn't seem to realize how cool it is that she built hidden cameras and stuff.

"How did you manage that?" Agent Black seriously needs to back off. I mean, even the kitten hates him. That's pretty bad.

"I helped a friend design some software. He either sends me what I ask for in equipment or puts money in an online account. Actually, he's here now. Em saw me on the news with Edward and wanted to make sure I was ok." I figured it was like that. I'm guessing they'll want to interview the very sexy Mr. McCarty soon.

"And was your _friend_ aware of what he was helping you do?" Is everything Black says going to be insulting?

"No. He knew something was going on but I had to keep him in the dark. I did cut off all contact with him apart from online as a means of protecting him and myself. Victoria recognized him when she saw us studying together and went ballistic."

"Why-?" Bella doesn't even let the asshole finish his question.

"Emmett was a very popular adult film star. I guess the fact that he paid for programming classes with porn made him a threat in Victoria's eyes. And no, he is in no way involved with their organization. He just likes sex and figured he could pay for school with his favorite pastime." Bella gives a little shrug as if to say 'who cares?'

"Oh-kay." Quil has this completely bemused look on his face. "I take it you've done research to corroborate his innocence, which we'll have to do as well, but I trust your judgment, Bella. I'd still like to talk to him, though."

"Well, I had to explain things this morning. He's really upset because he hates knowing I was in that situation and didn't tell him everything so he could help. He's going to be sensitive about it all, but I'm sure he'll tell you whatever you want to know." I can hear the sadness in Bella's voice. She hates that others are hurt by what happened to her.

"It's to his credit that he's so upset. That's the mark of a true friend." The female agent, Ms. Waters has done a complete 180 on her opinion of Bella since she walked in the room. She's now looking at her as an equal. "Back to the subject of your electronics, I noticed some of the footage was taken from your point of view. How did you manage it?"

"Oh, I created a button camera and a few necklaces as well."

Quil just gives me this look that says 'who is this chick?' before speaking. "Do you happen to have a sample? I'm a techie and am dying of curiosity."

"I know I have one here. I showed it to Edward and Jasper last night. Jazz? Do you know where we left the cross?" I can read the unsaid message in her eyes to make sure the memory card isn't in the necklace.

"Yep. I'll get it and check on Mr. Pou-Er, McCarty." Bella grins at me mischievously before turning back to field more of that idiot Black's questions.

I go immediately to the office for the necklace because I want to hurry back to Bella. She's stronger than anyone I know but I still want to be there for her. I do stop to check on her friend though because I know she's worrying about him.

I hear the commotion right before I turn into the hall where the den is located. Felix is trying to talk to someone but I can hear a scuffle.

"LET ME GO! I'M GOING TO GO KILL….SOMEONE!"

When I turn the corner, I see Felix has Emmett McCarty trapped against the wall but is struggling to contain him. Little Alice is helping by holding his legs. It's actually kind of funny to look at but I move to intercede.

"What's going on here? We have the FBI just across the floor, so keep it down."

"Then tell the guy holding me to let me go!" McCarty is in a rage.

"Look, Emmett, I get it. I do. I've seen _all_ of the footage and want to punish these fuckers too, but going off like this will get you nowhere. All you will accomplish is to possibly derail all the hard work Bella has done to get enough information for the authorities by tipping off the people involved." I can see my words start to set in as he slowly ceases to struggle. "Let's go in the den and I'll answer what I can before I have to get back."

"Fine. Tell Lurch to let me go." I almost laugh because Felix does have a "Lurch-like" physique but I manage to stop myself.

"I've got it from here, Felix." Grumbling, he steps back quickly with a pissed off look on his face. I don't bother trying to calm him, but instead follow Emmett and Alice back into the room where Rose is lounging. "Just enjoying the show there, Rose?"

"Ali would've stopped him and I make it a point not to get in her way." Alice rewards her loyalty with a kiss and a cuddle on the loveseat.

"So, what set you off, Emmett?" His blue eyes and strong handsome face look to be made of stone. He kinda looks like he did in that parody of Batman where he took naughty criminals to his love cave. He sucked all the information…

Gah! Focus!

"After a lot of begging," he shoots the ladies a nasty look, "I saw the video of them beating her Saturday night. How did Cullen let them live?"

"Ah. Well, he let them live because we aren't sure what killing them would accomplish. It could've just brought more danger to Bella. Instead, he trusted her plan of finding someone to trust in law enforcement and making them pay that way."

"But he loves her! How-?"

"I know he does. We all do…well, except for him probably and her." Yeah, they're both clueless. "But Bella has worked long and hard on this. Trust me when I tell you it has been even harder for him to restrain himself than it is for you. Actually it's been hard for all of us. We've all seen the wounds and watched her deal with the pain. But, the best way to save her, her friends and all the other kids is to take these fuckers down for good." I'm using my calm interrogation voice because I think it may help soothe the guy.

"Fine. I get it, Major Hotness. I just feel like I need to kill someone with my bare hands." Emmett sighs deeply. "But I'll be good for Tink's sake. And what's the deal with them being so clueless about how they feel?"

"Well-"Alice turns towards him and starts to dish but I have to interrupt.

"Wait! I have to go back to the FBI and Little Bit, so are we all cool here?" I get three nods. "Great. Now, you just flew in this morning, right Emmett?" I get another nod from Emmett. "Do you know where you're staying? We'll need to secure it so that you're not in danger from just knowing B."

"He'll stay here, of course." As one, Alice, Emmett and me turn to look at Rose. She has that 'evil-plan' look going on again. "You're right that he could be in danger. We've got the girls at a secure location so it only makes sense to secure Bella's only other loved one. And as he's already here and knows us all, it'll be perfect. This place is huge!"

"Ooo! That'll be fun!" Alice is bouncing again. She turns to Emmett and crawls into his lap. She really doesn't get the concept of personal space. "I want to hear all about your porn days, k?"

"Sure thing little thing. And I'd love to hear all about your marriage. Oh, and all about Major Hotness over there and my little Tink's sexy new Bi-hubby!"

Oh fuck. Something tells me it's going to get a whole lot more interesting around here. And that's saying something. Rather than comment on his statement, I just get up to leave. Before I cross the threshold, I remember something I wanted to say to Mr. Pounder-McCarty.

"It's Jasper, not Major Hotness, if you don't mind. I do have a reputation to uphold." They all start snickering at me and as I exit I notice that Felix is biting his lip to keep from laughing.

"Oh shut up, Lurch."


	21. Interrogations

**A/N: Yikes! Sorry I almost missed Friday! Here's the latest installment. Everyone send Happy Birthday wishes to one of my prereaders, Angie who just marked a major milestone today. In honor of her day, I'm giving you two chapters at once!**

**BPOV**

"So, Mr. Cullen, when did you learn about all of this?" Agent Atera finally directs a question towards Edward. I'm so tense from trying to keep us all out of trouble that my head is literally aching. I would literally kill for an Advil about now.

Charlie wakes up in my lap and crawls up my chest towards my face. I focus on snuggling my little fur-baby for a moment and let Edward do the talking. I'm so focused on cuddling the little guy that I don't even notice Jasper's arrival until he sits on the arm of the sofa next to me and starts to scratch Charlie's ears.

"Emmett's ok. He's upset but the girls have him gossiping about stuff, so he's ok. He'll be staying here for his protection, if that's ok." Jasper is whispering to me while Agents Waters and Murdock debate something or other.

"Of course it is. It'll be better for Bella so she won't worry." I guess Edward heard and decided to answer himself. I whip around to stare into my hubby's eyes. "He's your best friend, love. It may take some adjusting to the fact that your best friend is a sexy porn star, but I want you to be happy. So, he'll stay here."

"Thanks, Sugar." I give him a little peck but get interrupted by Agent Black's idiot voice again.

"Miss Swan, we'll need pictures of your wounds for our official files. We can keep talking to your _husband. _Agent Waters can take them." His voice just grates on me but the mention of having this strange woman alone with me brings panic to the surface. Fuck, get it together Bella.

"Actually, I believe we've given you pictures already." Edward sounds pissed.

"We do need some official ones though." Agent Atera is looking at us with an apologetic smile.

"Then, my wife would be more comfortable with a male. No offence, Agent Waters." Edward nods towards the woman but keeps his eyes on Agent Atera. It's kind of strange to have someone defending me but I love it.

"It's against procedure." What the hell is Black's problem with Edward. He said that almost combatively.

"Under these circumstances, I'm sure it will be fine. To make sure we're all covered, Mrs. Cullen can ask a female friend here to witness. I'm sure she'd be more comfortable with someone she knows." Ms. Eleazar hasn't spoken frequently but when she does, they listen. She catches my eye and smiles a bit.

"Yes, we'd be fine with that. Of course, Mrs. Cullen would be more comfortable with a male." Atera seems to be chastising Black for being an idiot. Too bad he's too stupid to catch on to his superior's meaning. "Agent Murdock?"

"I'll be very fast and you can ask for time if you need it, Mrs. Cullen." I can read nothing but sincerity in his gaze.

"I'll be there to support my wife." Edward isn't asking, but I stop the argument before it can start.

"Edward, it's ok. I'm sure they'd like to ask you some questions. And you can explain the necklace to them as well." He wants to argue but looks at me carefully and just nods. "Jasper can accompany us if that's ok." I could have sworn I saw jealousy in Sugar's eyes for a minute but it was too fast for me to be sure. "And if they want to talk to Emmett, they can do so now."

"Ok, we can call one of the girls." He's trusting me to handle this. Jasper just slips out the door quietly. Off to fetch Em, I'd imagine.

"Um, can Esme do it?" Edward's fierce eyes soften as he senses my nerves.

"Esme will be happy to, I'm sure, love." I know he wants me to get more comfortable with Rose and Alice but I'm still having trouble being physically near them comfortably. Oddly enough, Esme doesn't inspire the same sort of panic in me.

"Esme will be happy to do what?" Her voice comes from the doorway where she is pushing in another cart full of refreshments, this time water and juice and a fruit tray.

"They need to take pictures of my injuries and require a female be present. Would, um-"

"Of course, sweetheart. Anything for you." Her warm voice stops my rambling before it can begin. "I can hold Charlie as well since he seems to be unable to part with you." She picks him up and starts talking softly while waiting near the door for us. Her unconditional support and understanding is kind of astonishing.

"Mrs. Cullen, I'll just follow you to wherever you're comfortable." Agent Murdock walks to the door holding an equipment case and tentatively holds out a hand for Charlie to sniff.

Turning back to Edward, I notice the worry and fear in his eyes. Instead of speaking, I just lean my head up and give him a soft kiss before hugging him tightly.

"Ahem." Jasper's subtle cough gets my attention and I turn to see him standing with a red-eyed Emmett.

"B." I rush over and throw my arms around the big guy because I can see how upset he is by all of this. He returns the hug by lifting me off the ground and swaying slightly. Eventually, I tap his shoulder to put me down. For a second it looks like he's going to refuse but his eyes clear and he gently puts me on my feet.

"The agents want to ask you some questions about how we met and such. Sugar will be here with you, so be nice, boys." They both give me boyish grins but sit next to each other without any hint of anger or jealousy.

"Let's go get this over with then." Jasper swings and arm around me and we lead Esme and Agent Murdock to Sugar's office.

"HOLY CRAP!" Apparently Murdock is a total techie because Sugar's one of a kind equipment and setup has him very excited. I let the poor guy wander a bit and just lean on the desk rubbing my head.

"Headache, sweetie?" Esme sets Charlie on the desk and looks at me with concern. "I'm sure you must be tense. I know Edward keeps some headache medicine in his top drawer, if you can get it, Jasper." He moves to comply instantly. "Now, I bet all of that hair is heavy pinned up like that. Can I help you unpin it and ease some of the burden while this nice young man sets up?"

"That would be great, thanks." She smiles gently and begins to pull pins out one by one while humming a little. I realize suddenly that I'm not the least bit afraid of her touching me. Her calm, sweet energy is just soothing.

Once my hair is loose and I've downed a few Advil, I turn towards Agent Murdock and begin to pull up my skirt. He blushes bright red but calmly prepares to capture my wounds on camera. I know he's embarrassed for me but after all the indignities I've endured, this little photo session is hardly a blip on my radar.

"Well, let's get this over with before Edward storms the house looking for me."

"Yep. I'm supposed to shoot anyone who even looks at you funny." Jasper smiled angelically after delivering that line. Poor Agent Murdock actually looked a bit scared.

"Don't worry. He's joking." I smiled but then remembered exactly who I was dealing with.

"I think."

**EmPOV**

I had had an extremely enlightening morning talking with the Lovely Lesbians. I've decided to call them LL for short. They had been most forthcoming about Edward and the events surrounding his meeting my bestie. I knew the cover story well, but I could see that the handsome man sitting next to me was nervous. I guess he was still reeling from the whole porn-star best friend thing and was forgetting that I'm actually a smart guy.

"So, Mr. McCarty, I understand you worked in adult entertainment for a number of years. Did you use a screen name?" The head honcho-dude was trying to be very politically correct.

"I did porn, Agent man. You can say it. And yes, I was known as-"

"O Pounder!" The female agent said it before I could finish but now she looked mortified. Why is it that people find sex embarrassing?

"Yes! Are you a fan, darling?" I flashed my most winning smile at her. Cullen actually snorted out loud beside me.

"Um, I I I-" Poor thing.

"Don't worry. I have a memorable face and physique I've been told." I winked at her and I swear it looked like she was going to hyperventilate.

"So you expect us to believe that some third-rate porn star just happened to meet a young girl involved in child pornography and trafficking?" I stared in fury at the youngest agent.

"Excuse me. I was the leading male adult entertainer for four years running. I won for both straight and gay categories, so I can assure you there is nothing about me that is _third-rate._" Deep breaths, Em. Just ignore and move on before you punch him. That's probably a crime or something.

"And no, I knew nothing about it. I met Bella in a graduate level class. I was already big in the porn industry and had been receiving more and more attention for my Bi and gay work." I smile remembering those days. I loved my job. "As most of you will remember, college students are no strangers to porn, so I was recognized a lot. People either wanted to fuck me or save me from my horrible life choices. Why can't people realize that sometimes we choose to do porn because we like it?"

"Ahem." Cullen cut in to stop my rant.

"Anyways, Bella was this little tiny thing, obviously much younger than any student there. The teacher put some theorem up on the screen the first day to demonstrate complex algorithms and asked Bella to explain it. I think he put her on the spot out of spite for having a 15 year old in his class with more degrees than he had. Bella said she couldn't explain that theorem because it was incorrect. He went off on how wrong she was but instead of arguing, she just fixed it and put it on the board before sitting down. She wasn't trying to show him up or cause problems but she also refused to pretend that he was right." I remembered it all like yesterday. She was the same height she is now but skinnier and less developed. It was like David and Goliath. "The rest of the class either thought she was a show off or wanted to get her to help them write the next Angry Birds. She felt just as alienated as me, so I walked up and made a stupid joke about lemmings. She laughed, complimented me on my film work-which shocked the hell out of me- and offered to be partners on the term project. That was it. We were friends instantly which is not something that either of us had experienced before."

"When did you know something was wrong?" The female agent actually elbowed the young idiot guy before he could speak and took over the questioning.

"Right away. Working in porn tends to make you observant of people. I had known a fair number of performers who got into the business the wrong way, either through prostitution or because they had no choice. Many came from abusive homes, including myself. I had a rep in the industry for demanding to meet and speak with co-stars before agreeing to the films I did. I wanted to make sure they were there of their own choice." I had also helped several escape the life but I wasn't going to mention that.

"You came from an abusive background as well?" Agent Waters still ran the show.

"Yeah, my dad was a drunk who beat the hell out of me frequently. I ran away at 15 and got work doing construction and stuff. I was always a big kid, so I was useful. I was offered a deal to do porn when I turned 18 and jumped on it. I'm super sexual anyways so it was a win-win for me." I shrugged. "That's how I knew Bella was in trouble. She had the haunted look of someone in a bad place. I asked her point blank after I knew her for a while but she refused to answer. Looking back, I wish to God I had made her but to be honest I'm not sure it would've made a difference now that I know everything."

I went on to explain how we came to where we are now. I could feel the tears welling up again by the time I finished. I just can't help but grieve for my little friend's lost childhood.

"Mr. McCarty, Bella was probably right, you know." The head agent, Atera, spoke up. "Even in the short time we've had her intel, we've learned of a number of people who went missing or turned up dead when they tried to intervene. The kindest thing you could have done for her was exactly what you did. You were a constant reminder that there was someone out there who cared and in her situation, that can be the difference between continuing to fight and giving up."

"He's right, Emmy. That saved me sometimes." Bella's voice came from the doorway. She was standing with a male agent, Major Hotness, and the pretty middle aged housekeeper who made fuckawesome muffins. She walked over and handed a little ball of fur to her husband before looping her arms around my neck in a hug. It was just too much for me and I started to cry into her hair. I felt her crying against me too and knew we just needed to let it out.

I heard Edward offer a sitting room to the agents for them to regroup. I knew he was doing it for us and was grateful for the time. My tears started to let up some, so I just concentrated on stroking Bella's beautiful hair. It had been up earlier so I didn't get to see if she'd changed it.

"Holy shit, B! How much hair do you have?" I stroked all the way down to her waist where it ended.

"A lot. I thought about cutting it now that I'm free but Edward loves it long." She let loose a giggle that made me grin before she pulled back and sat on Edward's lap beside me.

"ROW!"

"Did your husband just meow at me?" It was a seriously loud noise. "Not that it would be the first time, but I didn't think he'd do it in front of you, you know."

"Shut the hell up." Cullen just sounded tired when he said it.

"No, it wasn't him but he does make some lovely animal sounds." I spotted Major Hotness leaning in the doorway and looking at the couple with something like jealousy. The weird thing is that he was looking at Edward in a negative way. My gaydar is never wrong so why would he be jealous Edward?

"This," Bella held up a little gray and white kitten, "is Charlie. Edward got him for me for my birthday." He was a funny looking little guy and seemed pissed to be on display but as soon as Bella scratched his belly, he calmed down.

"Huh. He knows you pretty well then, which is surprising. I know you've always wanted a pet. Hi there Charlie." I scratched under his chin.

"Well, it was either him or a lemur." Cullen's tone was dry and sarcastic.

"Why the hell would you give her a lemur?"

"Don't ask."

Well, all right then.

**BPOV**

"Holy hell! I thought that would never end!" Over seven hours after their arrival, the FBI Agents were led out of the room and to the entrance by Esme. I felt like I had literally been answering the same questions the entire time.

"Yep, they're a rather determined bunch. And Esme's incredible cooking was an added incentive to make it last." Jasper was lounged back on the sofa like some sort of cat with his eyes flitting about the room, observing us all. I have a feeling that Jasper sees more than most when it comes to people.

"Damn. I've faced hostile boards and crooked politicians but that lot actually made me nervous." Sugar has been running his hands through his hair so much that it's standing straight up like a punk rocker. I start to giggle a bit.

"Yep. Delirium is setting in already. See, Tink's giggling at nothing." Em is sitting opposite of Jasper on the sofa next to me. He has been pretty clingy since learning the truth but I can't blame him.

"I'm not giggling at nothing. I'm giggling at Edward's total punk hair do." All eyes turn towards my husband and soon more laughs join my own.

"Oh, that's right. Laugh at the guy with the crazy hair. I'll just ignore you assholes and hang out with the only really smart person here. That's right, I mean you Charlie." He was holding the kitten up and talking to him very seriously.

"You totally just referred to Charlie as a person, you know that right, E?" Jasper's grin was infectious, and I couldn't help but notice that this is the first time he's referred to Edward with any sort of casual name or greeting. Hmm…progess.

"Shut the fuck up."

"Language!" Esme's admonishment from the doorway had the rest of us in giggles again. She wanders over to perch next to Alice and Rose. "Well, I think that went ok, right?"

"Well, I think we saved Sugar's sweet ass, which was the point of at least part of the morning's deception, so it must have worked." A few laughs started up again but were quickly doused by the unexpected voice from the doorway.

"Yes, I'm _very_ interested in hearing why so many _upstanding_ citizens just gave a rather involved set of false testimonies to the federal government."

Fuck.


	22. Coming Clean and Surprises

**A/N: As promised...we have another chapter. It's a lot of dialog but still you get to see more of Emmett!**

**EPOV**

Ok, ok…damage control.

"Ah, Ms. Eleazar! We thought you'd left. I'm not sure what you're referring to, but we'll help answer any questions you have for us." Give her the panty dropper, Edward. Fuck! Lesbian! She's immune! I turn to Bella to get her to give the female version but am drawn up short when the lawyer starts speaking again.

"You can drop the charade, Mr. Cullen. I know full well that you met your bride Saturday night, so I want to know what the hell you all were thinking, lying to us!" Shit. Ms. Carmen Eleazar can be one scary lady when she wants to be.

"OH! That's where I know you from!" Alice is inexplicably bouncing in her seat and looking a bit smug.

"Yes, and while I quite enjoyed spending time with you and your lovely wife, it will not stop me from telling what I know unless I hear some damn good explanations!" Wait…what? Ms. Eleazar was at the party and hooked up with Ali and Rose? Ok, this can work to our advantage maybe.

"Ms. El-"

"For God's sake, I've seen you get fucked six ways from Sunday and was plotting ways to rendezvous with your wife, so call me Carmen." Uh…ok. Wait. "And don't get all territorial, Mr. Cullen. I backed off when I realized she only had eyes for you. I didn't even get to approach her. Though I was very impressed with how she took down that drunk so fast."

"So, you were at the party and were with Alice and Rose?" Esme is looking a bit confused. I can see Carmen's poker face start to drop a bit. I think she really likes Esme.

"Ah, well yes. It's so hard for someone in my position to let loose, you see, that-"

"I don't blame you at all. I probably would go if my kids weren't there. It'd be a bit strange to see Edward, who I've known since he was a child, in that situation." She puts an arm around the lawyer in comfort. "But, I will be v_ery_ upset if what is revealed here causes my kids any pain."

"Look, Carmen, we'll answer anything you want to know, all right?" Bella sounds exhausted. Looking at her, I can see the fatigue setting in. Given her injuries and the stress, I'm pretty amazed she hasn't collapsed yet. I may have also slipped her some pain meds earlier. Esme was apparently on the same mind wave as me because she's at Bella's side in a second.

"Sweetheart, you need to rest. After those injuries and all this craziness, I'm sure you're tired." Esme looks beseechingly up at Carmen. "Can we tell you everything and let our Bella rest?"

"Of course. Bella, I don't want to upset you. I already have an idea as to why you've done all this and I'm not totally against remaining silent about what I know." I can feel Bella almost sink into me in relief but notice that she hasn't let go of Esme's hand. It makes me feel all warm and tingly that she's found a female that she's comfortable enough with to withstand general touches.

"Ok, let's compromise, because I have a feeling Sugar will start a fight of epic proportions if I don't agree to rest. I'll tell you a few things and then let the others answer everything else while I curl up here with him, Esme and Emmett. I'll be here to wake up with any questions but I do admit that I really feel exhausted." My Angel has once again simplified what could have been complicated for me. And she's right. I would've carried her out kicking and screaming. What's more is that I'm pretty sure Whitlock and Em would be right behind me.

"Deal Bella." She sits opposite us on the sofa with Alice and Rose who appear a bit shy suddenly. That's a first.

"Well, first you should know that I am here completely under my own choice and that Edward, Alice and Rose had no idea of my age on Saturday night. We came up with this plan after they rescued me that night to protect Edward since we did engage in sex acts and I was underage." Huh. Carmen still looks puzzled and it looks like Rose just elbowed her. Yep, they make quick eye contact but nothing is said. Weird. Bella continues. "The true story involves a lot, so I'll let Edward tell it. Just answer one thing. How did you know about us? I mean, I get recognizing Alice and Rose but how about the two of us?"

"It was obvious almost from the start of our meeting today. Your coloring, the height difference between you and Edward's form were clear indicators but even more, there's a certain electricity you two put off when in proximity to each other. It's unmistakable." Carmen smiles at us kind of like an indulgent aunt or something. It's funny to see her do such a 180.

I pull Bella onto my lap and Esme moves to one side while Emmett takes the other so that she's got people on both ends to help hold her. I can tell she is exhausted but know it'll take a few minutes before she lets go. So, I start at the beginning.

"Well, I had planned to do as I usually do at these parties and stick with male partners but then the embodiment of an angel on earth showed up and knocked me into a whole different orbit…"

**EmPOV**

I've been idly stroking Bella's tiny feet while listening to Edward recount the night they met. He's much more detailed than the brief version I heard, so it's fascinating to hear how everything went down. And the lawyer lady is really feisty like a hot pepper of intrigue, so it's kind of fun to watch her reactions.

Now, I'm a pretty self-actualized individual, so I'm fully aware of my attraction for Edward. So, it wasn't a surprise that the first part of his story turned me the hell on like crazy. I did notice that Whitlock looks a bit uncomfortable as well. He's trying to fight his attraction to his boss. Good luck, buddy. Maybe we can console each other. Hmm….

I'm midway through a fantasy involving my comforting Major Hotness when Bella's tiny foot kicks me hard in the thigh.

"What the-"I break off and lower my tone because Cullen looks ready to murder me. We're torn from our eye-argument by a heartbreaking sound.

"No! Don't hurt them. They're my family. Edward? Jasper? Emmett? Esme? Where is everyone?" Bella's voice is quiet and terrified. I can see though that she's still asleep.

"Oh, poor baby!" Esme begins to stroke her hair, so I take to rubbing her feet. Cullen has her pulled up into his lap and is curling himself around her like he wants to literally surround her in love. The Major has dropped to his knees in front of the sofa and is rubbing her thigh gently.

Even the lawyer-lady is a bit misty eyed. I know I've got at least one tear running down my cheek and Ali and Rose are both in tears. Bella began to calm almost from the instant we all started to comfort her, so less than thirty seconds later, she's out again with one final mumbled phrase.

"Love you."

I have no clue who it was meant for, but my money would be on all of us. My little friend seems to have found a family at last and knowing her, she's not going to be afraid to show them how much they mean to her. Of course, it could be for her husband. The thought makes me both irrationally jealous and ecstatic at the same time. I'm happy she's able to love so well, but part of me always thought I'd be the one she loved like that. It's a secret I've rarely admitted to myself, so it's hard to accept the thought, even now.

"She clearly loves you all and I do trust her judgment. Let's finish the story, but we'll try to be quieter. I don't want to wake her if we can help it." The spicy-jalapeno lawyer chick's eyes dart back and forth between Bella and Esme. She really has a thing for the lovely housekeeper.

"Well, after she handcuffed me to the bed and took off, I ended up stuck there for over ten minutes, naked and desperate." Ok, Em. Think of sick puppies or something cause if that image takes root, the world will see how much I like it. "Alice comes running into the room in tears and proceeds to break my heart."

The littlest lesbian picks up the story of how she recognized Bella but couldn't put a name to the face until too late.

Honestly, as the story continues, I'm pretty much in awe of Bella. And I'm not alone.

"Jesus. The sheer brilliance of the clues she gave you and the way you two could interpret the other is amazing. I get why you didn't tell the FBI this, and I won't either since I have no desire to admit to my own attendance and even less desire to see you all get in trouble for something so stupid as a day." Ok, I like her. Carmen just kind of nods but blushes a bit when Esme gives her a rather loaded look of approval.

Edward, the LL's, even Major Hotness all tell portions from their point of view. The lawyer stops them though when they get to Edward's doctor friend.

"Wait a second! So Carlisle was in on all of this? He knew about Bella and the girls?" She's kind of flabbergasted.

"Well, yes. As I was getting ready to explain, Carlisle is the one we took Bella to that night. We knew she was hurt and Rose had managed to rewind the feed enough to see how, so we met him at his clinic because we had no idea how bad it was or what to do. That hot sauce was a loop that we were not prepared for." The Major makes it sound like an obvious conclusion. I think I'm missing something.

"So it wasn't a coincidence that you recommended him for fostering the girls?" OH! This Carlisle is taking care of Bella's girls. The lawyer is pretty impressed with their ingenuity.

"Yep. So, anyway…" Edward goes on to describe finding the hot sauce on her and how much pain she was in and their desire to protect her at all costs.

"But, Bella wanted to protect Edward. She created the 'Protect Sugar's Sweet Ass Project' because she wouldn't hear of him going to prison for having sex with her while underage, well anal sex." Alice is giggling through the reminiscence. "She was high as a kite on pain meds but hysterical. Rose suggested marriage and Carlisle about had a stroke demanding that Edward not push marriage on a drugged up teenager. Which he didn't. She was totally for it both high and sober." Alice gives a little huff so I know what's coming next will probably piss me off. "Well, she was for it but didn't think she was good enough to be associated with him."

"My idiotic little genius." Edward just rocks her a bit as he shakes his head and smiles down at Bella's sleeping form adoringly. "Oh, I did put part of a pain pill in her tea as the FBI agents left, so that's why she's actually sleeping. She was hurting and was being stubborn. I will no doubt pay for it later in some way or another."

"Yeah, but on your honeymoon, punishment can only be good, right?" I'm trying to be funny and not jealous. Too bad the joke fell flat. "What?"

"Edward refuses to be intimate with Bella." Rose and Alice speak in unison.

"What?" I am so confused. It's clear he loves her and desires her to a crazy degree. I don't get it.

"I don't get it." Thank you, spicy lawyer-lady.

"She's been abused and used for years at the whims of others, I refuse to take her virginity from her while she's in this fragile, healing state." Edward makes it sound completely rational.

Six sets of eyes are looking at him with gazes that register everything from tolerant frustration to outright astonishment.

"But, she's a mature and healthy woman. I've never seen a victim so determined to heal the wounds of their abusers. She's so far down the path of healing that it's almost ridiculous." Carmen is the first to voice her shock.

"Don't bother trying, Carmen. We've told him this but one thing they have in common is their stubbornness, so he won't budge until he thinks it's healthy for her." Rose's tone holds a sort of fond irritation at her boss and friend.

"I just refuse to take advantage. We're both going to be doing therapy starting tomorrow, so I assure you there will be more learned opinions to support me. I will wait until she's at a point to make that decision before I act." Holy shit, Cullen sounds like a sanctimonious asshole.

Alice snorts. "Not that she'll make it easy for him."

Suddenly, everyone not named Cullen is laughing loudly. Oh God, Bella is going to torture this guy so bad. I can't wait to see even part of the action!

"Oh to be a fly on the wall." Carmen is still chuckling a bit.

"Well, you can be. Tonight at least, if you'd like." Alice has this mischievous look about her as she glances between Esme and Carmen. Ahh, we have a matchmaker. "We're having a surprise wedding party/second birthday for Bella tonight. The girls and Carlisle will be here as will Judge Volta, possibly Agent Atera if his kids can make it and a few other trusted friends. Please stay."

"I'd be delighted." Carmen's smile is all for Esme. "Ok, let's hear the rest. I have to say, you were 100% right to keep this from the feds but I'm glad to know the real story. And no, I will not betray your confidence no matter what."

With that, we hear the rest of how Bella got to this point.

**Chapter**

"Rrrrrr." A soft fuzzy brush on my cheek alerts me to my waker.

"Hey little buddy." Another brush of paw tells me Charlie is happy to keep petting me awake.

"OOOO! Bella! That's so cute!"

"Eep!" I sat up so fast that Charlie had to use his claws to hang on to my shirt.

"I told you to be gentle, Al. Sheesh. Like a tiny freight train." I hear Rose's alto voice behind Alice's more startling soprano.

Glancing around I notice that I'm in Sugar's bedroom with him napping. He's sitting up more slowly, obviously used to pixie wake up calls.

"What's going on?" I'm a little raspy. Hmm…Wait! "Where's Ms. Eleazar? Is everything ok?"

"Easy, Angel. Everything is fine. She heard the whole story and is on board with our version. She's probably down in the kitchen still hitting on Esme." My brows raise a bit that she's actually ok with us lying. "She understood why we did it, so she is ok with it. She said being a lawyer means you have to learn to live in grey areas sometimes."

"Huh. Makes sense." I look around the room curiously. Alice and Rose are still here and seem to be in my closet looking for something.

"Bella? We're having a celebration dinner to welcome you and Em to the house, just us here so not too fancy, but can we help you dress?" Now, Alice's tone is sweet and inquisitive, but I have a feeling there wasn't really a choice.

"Uh, sure Ali. I'm not really used to parties, so I'd love your help." I get a squeal of delight from the closet before I notice Edward trying to sneak off with my kitten. "Where do you think you're going mister?"

"Uh, us men-folk," he gestures down to Charlie and himself, "were making a hasty escape, if you're ok?"

Silly, sweet man. "I'm fine. Go."

"Can I be an honorary girl?" Em's voice comes from the doorway where I can see him trying to peek around the jamb. "I've been the girl before." His intonation is raunchy, which is another reason I love him.

"Sure Emmy." Edward looks like he's going to argue but one bitch-brow of doom later and he just grumbles under his breath as he grabs some clothes and leaves the suite.

"So, what's happening with Esme and the hot lawyer?" I'm really curious. Emmett hops on the bed and gets ready to dish the dirt.

"Well, they are all flirty and Esme keeps saying loaded things that actually made Ms. Spicy-Tamale Lawyer-Lady blush. It's really cute!" Em is clapping his hands like he believes in fairies. He can be somewhat effeminate when he wants to be which is always funny coming from a 6 foot 5 inch guy who could take on a defensive line and probably win.

"_I_" he looks towards the closet with a sneaky expression "want to hear about how Ms. Spicy is in the sack, Lovely Lesbians!" I burst out laughing again at his propensity to nickname everyone but am a bit curious myself.

Alice and Rose both emerge somewhat pink cheeked. "Do you think it'll be an issue for her with Esme that she's been with us?" Alice seems nervous.

Em and I share a look of consideration but I answer. "I doubt it. You guys have such open, honest relationships here that sex isn't a taboo topic. Esme isn't your mom, which I'll admit, would be creepy. She's like the cool mother-figure who is unrelated and can talk about sex but can still punish you with no cookies if she thinks you deserve it."

Rose starts laughing. "That's the _perfect_ way to describe her." Alice just nods as she throws various garments around. She suddenly starts speaking.

"We WILL be shopping soon, B. I don't think we got you nearly enough. Anyways, let's focus on tonight!"

"Ok, let's get this party started!" With that, Rose turns on some Pink from the stereo and we all buckle in to fashion prep. I'm starting to get used to it. Having Em here helps and I think he and the girls know that so we're keeping everything light and funny. Em spends a lot of time asking for specifics about The Precious.

"I'm not giving you a taste profile of my husband's cock, Emmett!" He pouts prettily at me but gives up.

Alice eventually flutters out the door mumbling about feathers. Rose just shrugs in a "who knows?" kind of way but continues to curl my hair. By the time they're done, I'm dressed in another white dress but this one is strapless and goes to my knees. She put me in the same red shoes as my wedding and a bigger, more badass looking red belt. I love the look.

I'm actually feeling more and more comfortable, so I decide to offer to help her get ready since Alice is MIA suddenly.

"Um, Rose?" She turns with a smile. "Is there anything I can do to help you get ready?"

She smiles so wide it must hurt but just nods gently. "Could you zip me up?" I move over and very gently pull the zipper up the back of her red dress. She turns and places an arm around my shoulder lightly before looking at our reflections in the mirror. "Damn. We are F.I.N.E. bitches, Little B."

"You sure are!" Emmett is literally bouncing on my bed at this point, so we turn as one to try to stop him and make sure he puts something appropriate on quickly.

Eventually, we get the giant dressed and push him out the door. Edward actually meets me at the top of the stairs in a black shirt and slacks. His hair is somewhat tamer than earlier but still looks like sex-hair.

"You look divine, Angel. May I escort you, Mrs. Cullen?" His gorgeous green eyes burn with happiness. I love seeing that in him and want to keep it there forever.

"But of course, Mr. Cullen. And you look quite handsome yourself."

"Nothing compared to you, love." Love? Ok, don't read anything into it, Bella. It could just be a term of endearment. I focus on descending the stairs and note that Emmett and Rose are gone. They must've moved fast. Edward suddenly pulls me to a halt at the bottom of the stairs.

"Angel, they want this to be a surprise but I don't want you to be scared." Huh? "There's a small party waiting for us, so just know that you're safe and it's all friends in there, ok?" Oh!

"A party? We had a party last night!"

"Yep. You ok to go?" He's the one who looks nervous so I just nod.

We reach the doors to the smaller ballroom I saw in passing earlier and I raise a brow to him in question. He just nods with an 'I told you' kind of look and opens the doors.

"SURPRISE!"

I'm prepared to see our little family waiting when he opens the doors but I end up getting a huge shock.

"What are you all doing here?"


	23. Execs, Ogres & Evil Plans

**A/N: Whoops. Missed a Friday posting by 15 minutes. Sorry! Here's the next chapter with no big cliffy this time. Enjoy!**

**BPOV**

I was stunned-for once, in a good way.

"BELLA!" Three young voices yelled it out instantaneously right as they all collided with me. It hurt my bruised hip but I could care less.

"Angie! Katie! Sophie!" I wrapped them in a hug and just held on tight.

"Bella! We're living with Mr. Carlisle and he gives us ice cream!" Sophie was bouncing in my arms. She suddenly stopped and leaned in to whisper in my ear only she was whispering as loud as she spoke. "Is that your boyfriend?"

"Well, not exactly, Soph." I stepped back and grabbed Sugar's hand. "Angie, Katie, Sophie- this is my husband, Edward."

"YOU GOT MARRIED?" Angie's voice was so incredulous that I was almost insulted. "Sorry. I mean we saw you five days ago and you were single."

"It happened really fast, but Edward is a very good man. I promise you'll like him." I kept my voice calm and soothing because I could tell they were a little overwhelmed by the changes in their lives in the past week. Well, Angie and Katie were overwhelmed. Sophie was just happy to be with a nice person who gave her ice cream.

"Ok." Angie shrugged. She was the toughest nut to crack but she had a soft heart under her emotional armor and I was one of the very few people she trusted implicitly.

"Is _she_ really gone for good?" Katie's voice was almost a whisper but that was normal. She was a shy little thing. I saw Carlisle coming up behind them.

"Yes, I promise, Katie. And Carlisle will keep you safe no matter what." I smiled at the sweet doctor and was surprised to see the first truly happy smile I've ever seen on his face.

"Bella, you look lovely, dear!" I leaned up to embrace the good doctor before turning to the rest of our guests.

Our little family was all here, with the added addition of Emmett now, of course. Jasper had even brought a few of the security team in to join us. I recognized Felix, Stan, Marty and Jack. Carmen Eleazar was still here and standing next to a beaming Esme. Aro Volta was beside them smiling happily at everyone in range. The guy was pretty happy-go-lucky for a judge. I noticed a few new people as well and turned to Edward for introductions after greeting the rest of our guests.

"Bella, this is James Chasseur, Michael Newton, and Jess Stanley, three of our vice presidents with CI. Gentlemen, Jess-this is my Bella." I shook hands but immediately wanted to wash mine after shaking the Newton man's. He was a palm sweater. Ew.

"It's a pleasure to meet the lady that finally ensnared Edward. I imagine they'll be plenty of angry debs at the charity balls coming up." Mrs. Stanley looked positively gleeful about that fact. I think I'm going to like this one. "They always drive me nuts hounding me about if he'll be there or not. Vapid cows."

"We're going to get along just fine, Mrs. Stanley." She grinned hugely at me and winked. She was in her thirties but still looked 25.

"Call me Jess." With a nod, she deferred to her coworkers.

"Ms. Swan, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm eager to meet the lady who can equal our Edward in brainpower." Mr. Chasseur had a slight French accent. It would have been charming if he didn't have such cold eyes. I decided to just smile rather than answer.

"It's Mrs. Cullen, James." Edward's voice was friendly but extremely firm. I saw Jess smile a bit and knew everyone had caught his meaning.

I met about ten more CI people as well as Agent Atera and his wife before I was distracted by a collision.

"Bella! Bella! Bella!" Sophie latched onto my waist suddenly in a familiar move but unfortunately hit the bruised bone of my hip. I winced and Edward instantly picked her up and away from me. Poor Sophie just looked confused but settled onto Edward's hip with a little sigh. We turned away from the executives and moved towards our little family unit.

"Sorry, Soph. I fell and hurt my side the other day. Are you ok with Sugar holding you?"

"Who's Sugar?" Her big blue eyes carried their familiar constant curiosity.

"That's what I call Edward." I winked at my husband flirtatiously which had him smiling like the Cheshire cat.

"And I call Bella my Angel." Sophie's eyes seemed to grow even larger. I wasn't sure that was possible.

She leaned in to whisper to Edward but of course she was louder than ever. "I think she's an Angel too." Poor Edward seemed bewitched by the munchkin so he just smiled at her. "Did you kiss her boo boo? I fell and scraped my knee and Carwisle kissed it and made it all better."

I snorted at Edward's terrified expression. He finally just said, "uh yeah." Sophie was already on another topic though.

"OH! Emmysaidyougotakitten!"

"Holy crap. She speaks Alice." Rose's amused voice had us all snickering instantly. Well, everyone over 13 and Alice were laughing. Alice just glared at her wife.

"Yes, I gave Bella a little kitten for her birthday yesterday. Would you like to meet Charlie?" Edward cooed at the little bundle of energy. I swear, he actually was cooing. Who knew the great Edward Cullen could sound so cute?

"PLEEEEASE!" Sophie's squeal wasn't the only one. Katie actually joined in and Angie looked like she was just restraining herself.

"Well, I happen to have him right here, girls!" Esme again pulled Charlie out of her apron pocket. I was surprised she was still wearing it until I saw how Carmen was eying it.

"Mrow." It was a grumpy low meow that spoke of complete weariness with our human interruptions.

"Girls, this is Charlie the cat." And that was it. Charlie was the center of attention and seemed to be loving every second of it.

"They look so carefree." Carlisle's voice was soft. "They all looked a little too chased by shadows for any child when they arrived the other day. It's nice to see the shadows disappear, even if not permanently."

"I tried to shield them but it was a horrible environment to live in, even without the direct attention from Victoria. They also had some less than stellar foster homes previously, so it's no wonder." I had taken Carlisle's arm and was walking away from the girls so we could talk more privately.

"You seem more content than I've ever seen you, old friend." Edward spoke from my other side.

"I had resigned myself long ago to not having the joy of children in my life. I underestimated how bereft I would be by the loss." Hmm…maybe he'll be ready to get rid of the evil wife soon. I lifted my eyes to search the room for a particular person that I suspect may help him move along towards that happy day more quickly.

"Judge Volta!"

"Please, my dear, call me Aro." We met up with the perpetually happy man in the corner of the room.

I allowed Edward to take over since I figured he knew them both better. I think my husband has the same idea as me.

"Aro, this is my dear friend, Dr. Carlisle Masen. Carlisle, this is Judge Aro Volta." He smiled at the two men somewhat smugly. "Aro just recently moved back to the area and was the one to officiate our marriage yesterday."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

I internally squealed when Carlisle's voice came out sounding shy and sweet. Aro's eyes took on a much warmer glow than usual when he took the good doctor's hand.

"I believe the pleasure is all mine." Wow. Aro's got some serious smexin eyes.

Edward and I surreptitiously moved away from the pair and back towards the girls. He leaned down and got closer to my ear than was strictly necessary before speaking.

"I see we're of a like mind in more than one area, Angel." His breath fanned through the fine hair at my temple and caused me to shiver with want.

"I guess so, Sugar." I gently rubbed my hand down his back to the top of his ass before continuing. "I wonder if you can guess my thoughts now, husband?"

My confident, cocky husband suddenly looked terrified. "Uh…I need some more champagne." And he just took off.

"Idiot." Jasper's low chuckle alerted me that we had had an audience.

"Yep." I noticed that he was sitting beside Emmett and for some reason, my thoughts immediately went to images of the two fucking like bunnies. I must've been squirming because Jasper and Em both gave me concerned looks.

"Are you in pain, Tink?" Em's voice held nothing but worry. I'm still pissed at Rose and Ali for showing him that damn video of Victoria and Caius beating me.

"No. I'm just a bit overwhelmed is all. I went from trying to be as inconspicuous as possible to being the center of a lot of attention." Not to mention a total horn dog. "It's a bit much."

Jasper grabbed my hand and squeezed gently. "Whenever you get overwhelmed, just let me know and I'll steal you a few minutes of peace, ok?"

"Ok. Thanks, Jazz." His answering smile was soft and sweet which was a new look for the hardened military man. I kind of got lost for a second in those gorgeous blue eyes of his.

"Hey Bella?" Whoa. That was weird. I was glad Angie had interrupted our weird stare down. "Can I ask you a question?" Her whisper was much quieter than Sophie's.

"Of course, Ang. Anything." I noticed Katie sidling up and realized they were both curious about something.

"Ok, so Dr. C is married, right?" Oh fuck. Please don't let this be going where I think it is. I just nodded rather than give away too much. "And his wife isn't around a lot, right?" Another nod was all I gave. "So, why does it look like he's flirting with the smiley guy with the funny hair?"

Damn. I heard three choking coughs and looked up to see Jasper, Emmett and Edward looking at me with wide eyes. Alice and Rose were trying to be more subtle but were clearly listening. Ok, how to explain this to two kids?

"Ok, so do you remember when we watched Shrek?" I got two confused nods and a host of 'what the fuck does that have to do with anything' faces from the peanut gallery. "Well, Princess Fiona's family wanted her to marry a human knight or king, right?"

"Yeah, but she was an ogre really." Katie freaking loved Shrek so she was happy to talk out loud in answer.

"Ok, so Dr. Carlisle is kind of like Princess Fiona." Oh damn-so not what I meant to say. Edward and Rose were holding each other up through their laughter. Bastards. "Well, Carlisle's a guy so it's a bit different, but go with me here, ok?"

"Uh, sure Bella." Angie seemed to be almost laughing herself.

"Well, his family was kinda powerful and had a long distinguished history, so they demanded that he marry a _woman_ just as wealthy and connected. They didn't care what he wanted or if he loved her." Katie looked like she was going to cry. Oh crap. "I mean, they weren't ogres but like Princess Fiona's family, they thought they knew best. But Carlisle doesn't want a rich lady, he wants…"

"Er, an ogre?" Angie gave me a slightly pitying look but at least she was following me.

"OH!" It took Katie a few seconds to catch up but when she did, it was with a loud exclamation that had her turning pink in embarrassment. Poor kid, I feel your pain there. "But he's old. Why doesn't Dr. Carlisle just get a divorce and find his ogre?"

"Uh, I'm not quite sure what that means, but I can answer part of it." I whirled to see Carlisle standing there with a curious but calm look on his face. Oh God, please don't hate me for trying to sum your life up with a cartoon. "I haven't left my wife because I've always felt it was easier to just stay together."

"But, you're a nice man, Dr. Carlisle. Why wouldn't you want to be happy?" Katie looked completely confused but her words were like a knife to the heart of the matter for the rest of us.

A sort of strange awareness dawned on Carlisle's handsome face. I guess sometimes it takes a child's eyes to see the truth.

"That's a good question, Katie-girl." She pinked up at his nickname for her. "I don't think I ever quite looked at it that way. Thanks for asking, and I'll get back to you on it, ok?"

Both girls nodded before turning back to Esme. She had cookies, so she trumped discussions of ogres and unhappy marriages.

"Er, Carlisle?" He turned but was definitely a bit preoccupied. "May I please, please find some dirt on Muffy for you?"

His pretty blue eyes trailed over my shoulder to the girls and then Aro across the room before coming back to rest on mine. "I think that may be an excellent idea, sweetheart."

Edward, Rose, Alice, Sam and Seth all looked flabbergasted. After years of asking him the same thing over and over, he just said yes to me after a few days acquaintance.

"Awesome."

**EPOV**

What the hell just happened? One minute I was almost sobbing with laughter at my poor wife's bizarre ogre marriage scenario and the next, I was watching her get Carlisle to agree to something I've been asking him to do for years. And I've tried everything from begging to special sexual favors to get him to agree. Huh.

Bella had this gleam in her eye that I was having a hard time characterizing.

"Man, that's a hell of a war face you've got there, B. I almost pity the woman. Almost." Jasper was grinning lazily at my Angel. I was still pissed about the little staring contest they had earlier. It was…loaded. I pushed the thought out of my head before I started beating Whitlock unconscious.

"Hmm…Carlisle I'm going to give you a thumb drive to run on all computers that Muffy uses no matter what they're for, ok?" He looked slightly terrified but nodded resolutely. "I'll be right back."

For such a tiny person, she could sure move. I hurried after her and managed to catch up as she went into my office. "What's your plan, Angel?"

"Well, I was planning to hack her with the same program I used to track the Mistress Selena parties. I should be able to find every trace of her online and hook into any computer she's used to access anything." She grinned with her teeth bared. "That bitch is going down."

"Well, I'd offer some of my own programming but since you managed to beat it, I'd say you're the better bet. I'll help you comb for info though. I've been dying to take down Muffy for years." She started to rush past me again on her way back into the room but I grabbed her to pull her in front of me.

"Do you like your party?" Ok, so that wasn't what I wanted to say but the real questions I wanted to ask her got stuck in my throat. Do you care for me? Are you attracted to our gay security chief? Can I lick your neck?

"Yes, thank you Sugar. Everyone has been very nice and the food is amazing!" It really was good, but I don't think she's had enough chance to eat. I'll have to rectify that when he head back to the party.

"Good. We wanted to celebrate the wedding and your birthday. Esme wanted to make a full sized wedding cake but I thought that might be something you'd want input on." Plus I was worried it would scare her.

"Maybe we can do it for an anniversary or something." She shrugged and turned to walk away as if she hadn't just said something major. She wants to have anniversaries which means she wants to stay married long enough to celebrate those anniversaries. I grabbed her and pulled her around. She gave a startled little yelp but I swallowed it up with my lips.

Her full bottom lip fit perfectly between mine, so I held it there and sucked on it a bit before swiping my tongue across it and begging for entry. She pushed her little tongue past my lips and began a sort of rhythmic stroking that mimicked the sliding of her hips against mine. I was hard as granite so I picked her up and sat her on the edge of my smart desk before pushing in between her legs. She wrapped her long legs around my hips and pulled herself forward so that she could get my erection where she needed it most.

Christ, she was hot. I could feel the heat between the layers of my clothing and was instantly catapulted back to what it felt like to slide into her tight ass. Shit. I have to stop. I'm seconds away from fucking her like an animal on the desk.

I pulled away so fast she kind of fell forward a bit. I put out one hand and braced it on her shoulder but stayed an arms-length away. As soon as she looked steady, I took three steps back. Those big chocolate eyes suddenly filled with hurt. Oh crap. I need her to realize that I'm protecting her from herself! I opened my mouth to tell her this but she suddenly looked completely in control and calm. What the hell?

**BPOV**

He fricking pushed me away. He LITERALLY fucking pushed me away! I felt like some kind of diseased animal that he was afraid to get too close to. As soon as the hurt registered, I started to lock it all down. I was not going to show him how bad that hurt because it would just reinforce his stupid ideas about me not being ready for more intimacy.

Those gorgeous green eyes of his started out looking apologetic and but were now just looking kind of scared and confused. Good. The bastard deserves to feel confused because God knows, he confuses the hell out of me.

"We should get back to the party. I'm hungry. I wonder if there's any more of that puff pastry with the crab filling." I walked as smoothly as possible around his frozen form and out of the office. I didn't bother to wait for him to catch up.

Back in the party room, things were starting to wind down. Rose was the first to catch my eye. She obviously saw the kiss swollen lips because she got a confused look on her face when she looked at my stone-cold face. Understanding dawned quickly causing her to roll her eyes and huff. I moved forward and filled a plate with food before heading over to speak to Edward's associates as they prepared to leave. I bid adieu to them and everyone else but our family before walking over to sit beside Em and Jasper. I noticed that Carlisle was talking animatedly to Aro while holding a sleeping Sophie.

I whiled away the rest of the time chatting with my new family. Edward talked quietly with Alice and Felix for a bit but I refused to listen in on his conversations. I was mentally preparing my war against Edward's idiotic conscience.

I will admit that I'm still very sore and achy, so I'm not going to press the sex issue for a few days. That doesn't mean I'm going to make it easy on him though. I'm going to make him suffer blue balls as much as humanly possible.

"Well, I need to get these little ones home." Carlisle stood and carefully shifted Sophie onto his shoulder before turning to give me a kiss. I handed him the computer drive with instructions to just plug it in everywhere.

"Will we see you soon, Bella?" Angie looked comfortable leaving with Carlisle but I could see a bit of sadness in her eyes. We were used to seeing each other every day so it was a change.

"I'll try to see you as much as I can. We have to be careful though because they're still working to stop Victoria's friends. But, we have Jasper and he's brilliant at keeping us all safe, so I'll see you soon, ok?" It was as much as I could say without scaring the crap out of them.

"Ok. Love you, Bella." She and Angie hugged me tight before turning to walk out with Carlisle. I guess Aro was seeing them out because he was still glued to Carlisle's side.

"Thank you for having me here this evening, Bella. I'm so glad to see you happy." Carmen didn't try to hug me. She just held out a hand to shake before asking Esme to show her out. I heard something about dinner on Friday, so I'm guessing they had a date.

"Damn, you're good." Alice was gazing at me with something akin to awe. "Here less than a week and you've already helped Esme and Carlisle finds love. I'm impressed."

I snorted. "What can I say? I just radiate pheromones or something." I heard Rose snickering again. "Er…did anyone explain to Carlisle why I was comparing him to an ogre?"

This time Rose let out a full-on belly laugh. "I did. Thanks for that by the way. His face was priceless." She lowered her voice as we walked past all the men talking. "So, I take it you have a plan to torture the jackass?"

"Oh yes, I plan to use your lovely gifts to my advantage. And I'm not even going to press for sex for at least a few days…maybe a week if I can survive it. I'm going to have to find some of Edward's toys. I'm used to a few orgasms a day." It was true. Once I taught myself to enjoy sex, I became a bit of a fiend.

"You're so perfect for him that it's scary." Alice was just shaking her head.

"Might I suggest something?" I just raised an eyebrow which prompted Rose to continue. "Use jealousy to your advantage. He hates it when any male looks at you, including Jasper and Emmett. I'm not saying to flirt with them, of course, but maybe arrange it so they see you looking sexy and rumpled. It'll drive Edweirdo nuts."

"I don't really have much modesty left, so I can do that." With a final goodnight, I made my way up the stairs to the third floor but Edward was still on the ground floor talking to the men. Idiot.

Time to get ready to torture Sugar.

**JPOV**

"So we have men with Carlisle and the girls 24/7 right?" I sighed as Edward launched into another round of queries about security measures we'd already agreed to twice over. The guy was desperately stalling.

"Yes, of course. You can't hide from your wife by talking to us every single night, you know that right?" Great, now he's going to get all defensive.

"I'm not hiding from my wife." I could see the same frustrated and pitying look that I was wearing on the faces of Sam, Seth and Emmett. "I'm just giving her time to settle. One of us has to remain smart about all this." Emmett snorted out loud at Edward's pompous statement.

"Oh! I didn't realize you all were still down here." Holy fuckballs.

Bella was halfway down the stairs and looking like the sexiest mixture of sin and innocence on the planet. She was wearing a hot pink and black tank top and little cotton and lace boy shorts with black thigh high socks and a bouncy pony tail. Her plump lips looked swollen and rosy and her tits jiggled with her movement. I want to suck them.

Wait…what?

"What the FUCK?" Edward ran full tilt up the stairs and stopped in front of her while waving his hands around wildly. "Why are you out in…in…THAT?"

"What? Three of them are gay and Emmett's seen more naked people than even you, Sugar. What's the big deal?" I could see her lean around Edward's body and smile at us before shrugging.

"CLOSE YOUR EYES ASSHOLES!"

"Dude, he's losing it." Seth's snicker almost drowned out the choking sound coming from Emmett. I guess he's having some trouble adjusting to Bella's hot factor too.

We all humored the overwrought man and turned our backs but I could see Emmett trying to sneak peeks.

"What did you need? I'll get it." I don't think Edward even unclenched his teeth to ask that.

"Oh, I was going to see if there are any more cookies down there, but I guess I'm ok now. Ok, go back to your business. Night boys!"

We all turned back around only to see her juicy ass bounce a bit as she jogged up the stairs. Edward let out a very audible whimper. Sam and Seth turned to go to bed but not before Sam got in one last line to Edward.

"Dude. You are sooo fucked."


	24. War Plans

**BPOV**

"Ladies, this is war." I was dead serious. I needed some non self induced orgasms and I needed them now. That is why I had called a war council.

"Bella, I need to say something to you." Rose looked very serious. I was afraid she was going to say that I should just give up. Instead, she started to sing. Badly.

_"Did you ever know that you're my heee-rooo….."_

Esme lost it. She was literally crying in laughter. I was snorting myself and poor Alice seemed to be having trouble breathing.

"Ok, ok…sorry. It had to be done." Rose got some control back and started to return to the matter at hand. "Now, let's go through what you've done so far."

"Well, I went in front of all of the guys in boy-shorts, thigh highs and a tank with no bra after the party a few days ago." It had been three days of flirting with nothing to show.

"Seth was still laughing about that the next morning." Esme grinned at me. "He said Edward nearly had a heart attack." She was really enjoying Edward's pain. My look must've given away my thoughts because she went on quickly. "I love Edward dearly but the boy needs a reality check."

"Yes, he does. Well, the next morning, I conveniently woke up with my tank top ridden up over my boobs. He jumped out of bed and ran to the shower like he was on fire!" More giggles which I had to join in with. "He even locked the damn door!"

"Fucking classic, B." Alice was gleeful.

"So, I upped the ante. I conveniently forgot to put away a large dildo and bullet from my own shower." Yep, I had been enjoying Sugar's porn-playing shower immensely. I'm a very sexual creature so I need my orgasms. "Aside from that, I've been wearing the thigh highs every day and wearing skimpy attire to bed. Yesterday I danced around in my underwear while getting ready."

Alice and Rose looked a little distracted at my summary. Huh, they look kinda turned on. I bet Alice will be dancing in her underwear in the very near future judging by the steamy looks they're throwing each other. Oddly I wasn't all that nervous about it. Hmm.

"Well, I bet all of that is killing Edward. He's been walking around here looking constipated for the whole week." Esme smiled proudly at me. It left me feeling oddly warm and happy. "I even offered to pour him some prune juice this morning." I snorted out loud at her moxie.

"Hmm…ok, so I say we continue your efforts with a little more umph. First, you're going to shop for some sex toys with us." Rose had her game face back on. "We'll take you shopping today and that'll be one stop. Poor Jasper may have his own heart attack but desperate times call for desperate measures. Make sure to unpack the bag with him in the room. Next, we'll switch you to satin and lace nightgowns for a change. After another day or two, switch to one of his dress shirts to really frustrate him."

"We'll also make a spa appointment today for you to get waxed. Make sure to go into detail about the procedure with him later." Alice matched her mate for ferocity. "Plus, I'm betting having you away from him all day is going to make him crazy. You've been together pretty much non-stop."

That was true. We had been talking a lot and actually working together on some programming stuff. Unfortunately, one of our first efforts ended up being something that made Sugar even more determined to protect me.

"Well, it would all have been progress if we hadn't worked on Tanya's computer together. That's made him more stubborn than fucking ever." I know I sounded exasperated.

"I knew that bitch was trouble. I just didn't realize she was organized-crime-type-of-trouble." Alice was still fuming after two days.

The day after the party, Sugar and I had sat down with Tanya's computer from CI to see if there were any security risks for the company or any reference to Victoria and the traffickers. Within ten minutes we had found a hidden firewall that we destroyed easily. She had secret references to sales that weren't on CI's books. A closer look at the dates showed me that they corresponded with some disappearances of young women and men. She was keeping track of their sales. Edward also found a few pornographic pictures of young girls and Tanya. There were none of me, thankfully but Sugar kind of lost it and destroyed his smart desk. Jasper almost had to physically fight him to get him to calm down.

Hmm…Jasper and Edward wrestling….

"What the hell is that dreamy look about Bella? We were talking about that psycho child-seller!" Rose was outraged.

"I think she's remembering Jasper wrestling Edward to calm him down." Esme looked somewhat dreamy too. "What? There's a certain sexiness to two virile young men tangling."

I started giggling madly at her pink cheeks but was nodding fervently. "I'm almost sad Edward didn't resist more." More giggling ensued but eventually we got back on topic.

"I just can't believe she thought she'd get away with it. Edward periodically sweeps the company system for irregularities and such. He probably would've found it fairly soon anyways." Rose rolled her eyes. "As it is, she had the entire CI directory and high-profile contact list on the hidden drive. She's being charged with corporate espionage in addition to all the other things."

"Or she will be when they find her." The stupid bitch was MIA. I was so close to hacking into the traffic and CCTV cameras to run a facial recognition software but had stopped myself since we had to turn over evidence to the feds. "I can't believe all the candid photos of Edward she had on there. She better hope the cops find her before I do."

"By the way, dear how was your first therapy session?" Esme looked a bit nervous. "I hope you don't mind my asking. I just worry about you, sweetheart."

"I don't mind at all. It was great. Afton is funny and didn't assume I'm a broken mess. He said he was impressed with my drive to overcome my past. Even my therapist thinks I'm ready for a sexual relationship! Stupid overprotective husband…" Now I was muttering under my breath. It was becoming a bad habit.

Afton Wells and his wives Chelsea and Jane were all great. I was kind of stunned to learn he had two wives but that shock immediately turned to intrigue when I learned it was polyamory instead of a sister wife thing. It was a _very _interesting concept to me.

"Well, I think Chelsea may be on our side on the sex front. Edward looked a bit pissed yesterday after his session." Chelsea Wells was going to be Edward's therapist. She was a no nonsense person with a dry sense of humor. Jasper had actually found them for us. He admitted to me that he saw Jane upon occasion for some PTSD of his own. War is not kind to any man.

"I'm glad Jane is going to be coming with them to be available to all of us. I think Emmett especially may need a kind ear." Yep, Edward asked for her to join them as an outlet for the others. I, better than anyone, knew that seeing those videos and knowing the truth about all of it is very difficult to reconcile in your mind. I hope everyone made use of her.

"I got a text from him this morning. He's on the redeye with Felix and will be back mid-morning." Emmett had flown back to California with Felix as security to get his things so that he could stay here indefinitely. It made me feel better to know he was safe and we were looking forward to spending non-virtual time together. "Hey…side note again…do you think he and Jasper look sort of interested in each other?"

"OMG! I thought so too! They're playing it so cool that it's hard to tell for sure but I think they are both smitten kittens!" Alice started bouncing which disturbed the last member of our little war council.

"Mrow." Charlie lifted his head and gave us all dirty looks before curling back up on Alice's lap.

"He is going to be so freaking spoiled." Rose smiled at Ali indulgently and reached out to scratch the little guy's head.

It was true though, he was spoiled rotten already between all of us. Even Jasper snuck him treats when he thought no one was looking.

"I think Carlisle might need to get a kitten because Sophie has been bugging him nonstop!" Esme was smiling happily. She was so thrilled to have a full household and hopefully some visiting kids to spoil.

"Hey…wait a sec…aren't you going on a date tonight?" I peered at her curiously. She blushed sweetly and gave us all a demure smile before grabbing my hand. It was a testament to her beautiful soul that I didn't even flinch.

"Yes. I'm so nervous. I have never felt like this for anyone…not even my husband. Our marriage was more a friendship than anything but this is something else entirely!" She looked like a girl excited for prom. It was so cute.

"Well then, you are coming with us. I was planning to do some shopping for the girls too, so this will be fun." Alice was back to bouncing which pushed Charlie over the edge. He jumped up and walked over to me making little grumbling noises the whole time. "Damn, you'll have to leave him with Edward while we're gone."

"Gone? What are you talking about?" I guess it was time to face Sugar.

**EPOV**

I was fucking exhausted and so horny I thought I might actually die from it. So when I heard Alice refer to all of them being gone, I was instantly pissed.

"We're going shopping, Edweirdo." Rose was not afraid of me at all. Damn, when had that happened? I need to work on my scary factor.

"No."

"Excuse me?" Angel's voice was ominously quiet. Fuck. Now I was faced with four furious females and a grumpy kitten giving me the death glare. Fuck this.

"I mean NO. You're far too brilliant to let the concept elude you."

"You listen here you sonofa-"Alice was on her feet but once again Angel's quiet voice broke through it all.

"Edward, I am going to ignore your idiotic statement because I know you're scared. But don't you ever, EVER think you can dictate my life to me. I have been a prisoner before and refuse to be again. I will take Jasper and any number of other armed guards, but I AM going shopping with the girls and you WILL be gracious about this."

"Angel, be reasonable. It's not safe." Christ, I sounded pathetic.

"I will not have my life dictated to me by those monsters. We will be perfectly safe." I started to interrupt but she plowed on ahead. "No, you cannot come with us. I need to spend more time getting to know my new girlfriends. We're going to get waxes and stuff too so it's a girl's only day."

Focus Edward! Do not get distracted by images of smooth, smooth skin….

"Ahem…did I hear something about a girl's day?" Jasper was in the doorway with Stan, one of his men.

"Yes, well girls and you guys." Bella snorted a bit at Alice's statement.

Jasper just sighed. "Shopping? Spa?"

"Yep and yep." Rose was grinning winningly.

Now Stan sighed too.

"Ok, we'll have to go over protocols and such but as long as you stay with me at all times, we should be ok. It's not planned and we'll do a decoy car and everything to keep things under the radar. I'll need the spa name and a list of shops and about an hour to prep, ok?" NO! Jasper was supposed to be on my side not start immediately planning the outing.

"What the fuck, Whitlock? I thought you'd talk some sense into them. It's not safe for her to be out shopping and doing stupid girl shit right now!" I was breathing heavily and my chest was starting to hurt.

"Well, I figure Bella's an adult with her own mind." He leaned into me to speak quietly. "You can't keep her locked up here forever, Edward. I promise I will be with them the entire time…armed. I will not hesitate to shoot the first person who even looks at her wrong."

"Whatever." I stormed out and ran directly to my office before slamming the door. I bent down because it was getting hard to breathe. I heard the door open and tried to stand up and look fine. Whitlock wasn't fooled.

"Sit down, Edward. That's right, take deep breaths and focus on my voice." His voice had taken on a soothing tone that I latched onto desperately. "Just breathe with me, ok?"

So we fucking breathed. After a few minutes, the pain in my chest started to fade and I was no longer panting. What the fuck was that?

"That, my friend, was a panic attack." I must've spoken out loud because Jasper answered me. I vaguely realized that he had his hand on my back rubbing in circles. "Don't look so ashamed, Edward. You're in an impossibly difficult situation. The love of your life has been threatened and you feel powerless. It's ok, you know. I've had a few myself."

I stared at him in shock. "But you're the cool-headed military man." He snorted at me and just shook his head.

"There's a reason I've seen Jane therapeutically. I've talked with Bella about it a bit. Some of the situations I was in for the government were traumatic. Hell, a lot of the situations were very traumatic. Coming home was a hard adjustment because I just couldn't forget the pure horror of war." His voice had darkened when he began speaking but now it lightened up again. "I think that's why I get along so well with Bella. She's been through her own war and is learning to live in a safe environment again."

Fuck. I was torn between fury that he understood some aspect of my wife that I didn't and relief that she had someone like that on her side. I seem to be of two minds about everything lately.

"Look, why don't you call Chelsea." He plowed right over my budding protests. "This is what she's there for and I know she'll want to hear about the panic attack. She could help with some perspective."

"Fine. I'll set up something this afternoon or in the morning." I turned and looked into his pretty blue eyes intently. "Keep her safe, Jazz."

"Always, Edward. I'd give my life for that little lady. She's got us all on her side now, and we will protect her." With that, he walked out to get prepared for shopping with the girls.

"Sugar?" I turned and saw my Angel in the doorway. She looked hesitant and a little sad.

I am such an asshole.

"Come here, Angel." She walked over and perched beside me but I wasn't having that. I grabbed her up and onto my lap where I held her tightly. "I'm having some trouble letting you out of my sight. As much as I don't want to admit it, you know what you're dealing with and are capable of taking care of yourself. I just want to protect you so much."

She leaned up and kissed me sweetly. "Oh Sugar, I love that about you. It's an adjustment to have so many people trying to protect me when before it was just me. I wouldn't even let Em protect me before. I think we're both learning."

"I am so going to regret saying this, but Jasper is devoted to you so much that he'd gladly give his life for you. While I may be jealous of that devotion," her eyes started to argue but I continued speaking, "I value it even more. He loves you and will keep you safe. I trust that."

"I'm not the only one he cares about, you know. He told me to be sweet to you and give you a break." She smiled at me with humor. I did not have the energy to deal with that concept just now.

"Go, get ready for your girl-date. By the way, I'm thrilled you're getting to know our ladies so well. It's amazing to me that you can be as easy with them as you are." It did amaze me. She was warming to them all, especially Esme.

"Well, we have to get Esme ready for her big date tonight." I knew Carmen was going to take her out; I just wasn't privy to details. And I'm totally ok continuing to be ignorant of Esme's romantic life. She's our maternal figure and it squeed me out a bit.

"Well, we can all use some frivolous fun after dealing with the Feds all week. I can't believe they were here again yesterday." They had been here at some point every day this week. Jacob Black had even had the audacity to show up alone and surprise Bella while she was working.

"You're growling again Sugar. You need to stop if you want me to get out of this office without jumping you." My head jerked up so fast it kind of hurt. "What? It's hot! And I know you were thinking about the stupid Black kid. I swear he almost shit himself the other day!"

I grinned triumphantly. Yes, I did scare the almighty hell out of him. "Well, he shouldn't have been watching you work in those sinful socks of yours. And please wear a bra! I almost killed him for staring at your juicy tits, love."

She got the weirdest look on her face. It was almost…triumphant. Huh.

"Ok, well, I'm off to get ready. I'll call you plenty, Sugar. Don't worry. I've got both trackers and Jasper was mumbling about a panic button that would alert SWAT. Let's hope he reigns himself in though." I'll have to tell him I think that's a great idea. She grabbed me in a freakishly strong hug before planting a truly lascivious kiss on me that left me panting in her wake.

She is going to be the death of me, I swear it.

All week long, she had been driving me crazy with her sexy thigh high socks and bouncy tits and ass. She actually pushed her shirt up in her sleep the other day exposing those yummy breasts to my eyes. I had to run to the bathroom to protect her from my stone-hard cock. I swear if I don't wake up before her and escape, she somehow manages to dance around the room and sing under her breath while that luscious body sways seductively.

But it's not just her body. I adore her mind too! I've never felt more mentally stimulated than when I was working alongside of her. Her brain makes leaps that spark my own creativity so that we get lost in talking about new possibilities and projects. Emmett had joined in once or twice and his take was always humorous but still interesting and unique.

Is it possible to be in heaven and hell at the same time?

I'd have to ask my therapist. Fucking Christ. I'm overwhelmed with all the changes to my life in such a short time. I don't regret them in the slightest, but I'm still a bit flummoxed.

Chelsea was cool. I was a bit surprised when I learned about their group marriage. Jasper smartly pointed out that I was bisexual and that Bella enjoyed seeing me with men so it might be a good idea to get a perspective of someone who was involved with someone of the same sex and the opposite at the same time.

Our first session had been mostly background. I knew that Bella had the same. We had a rare two hour block of time because the Drs. Wells said we were in a kind of crisis mode and they wanted to be there to help us through. The three of them had recently split off into a private practice of their own so they were able to work us in perfectly. They even offered to be on call in case of emergency. I had to admit that being rich was definitely helping the situation because I could afford the best and have them on call 24/7.

The one thing I didn't like about Chelsea was her desire to talk about sex. She was curious about my lack of sex life with Bella. My Angel and I had told Chelsea and her partners that it was ok to discuss us because I wanted her to understand Bella's mind even if I didn't. They said they don't usually do that but were open in the future if necessary. I do know that because there is an active federal investigation, they were given access to some of our statements so that they could analyze the effect of the crimes on us. Quil had suggested it after dealing with trauma victims and watching them go through the process of interrogations and testimony.

A quick call to Chelsea and I had an instant agreement to see them here in the morning. I reminded her that Emmett would be arriving and suggested that she bring Jane if she was free. Thankfully they all were so I'm guessing all three would be here to help. Now that I think about it, it might be good for Bella to talk about spending time with the girls. I knew it was still a challenge.

I tried to work for a bit but just kept getting distracted. I finally gave up when a large distraction made his presence known.

"Yo Yo YO! I'm home, bitches!" Emmett's booming voice came from the hallway seconds before his large, gorgeous body strode into my office. I snickered at his greeting but stayed lounged on the sofa. "Where are my Tink and the Lovely Lesbians and the Effervescent Esme?"

I laughed outright and chose to ignore his possessive pronoun usage about Bella. "They are out shopping and spa-ing or some shit."

"WHAT THE FUCK? HOW COULD YOU LET THEM DO THAT? IT'S NOT SAFE!" Man, he only has two volumes…loud and louder.

"Trust me, I said the same thing only I nearly got my balls served to me for breakfast for my reaction. Bella pointed out, _strongly_, that she is no longer a prisoner and was free to come and go as she pleases. Jasper swore to shoot anyone who looked at her funny and was taking a host of armed security men who were going over store blueprints and contingencies before leaving. I had a fucking panic attack when she said she was going."

Fucking hell. Why did I tell him that?

"Hey man, don't sweat it. I had one that first night after learning about what happened to her." I looked at him in shock. "Dude, I grew up with an abusive alcoholic father and a nutjob mother. I dealt with attacks like yours from time to time. Bella actually helped me learn to deal better. She saw me panicking once and then the next time she saw me she had read a psychology textbook about panic disorders and knew how to calm my ass down."

I just shook my head. "That's my girl."

"Ok, so what are we doing while the ladies are out? We need to get our minds off them being out and about, so let's bond male-style." Emmett grinned at me conspiratorial.

Unfortunately, the first male-style bonding that came to mind was x-rated and not really an option. Oh crap…sick kittens, angry badgers…

"ROW!" Emmett jumped about a foot off the couch at the bizarrely loud yell from the tiny kitten in the doorway. That was all it took for me to be laughing uncontrollably.

"Shut the fuck up. You jumped too." But he was laughing right along with me. Charlie sat on the floor in front of us and gave us both a pissed off look.

My phone suddenly chirped in my pocket so I grabbed it to answer.

"Edweirdo!" Alice's high voice was so happy that I felt like an asshole for trying to block her fun earlier. "Quil called to remind me that they need to talk to the executives about the case. I called Jenks and the corporate team and they are all on standby to meet whenever you want. Should I schedule it for this afternoon so we can all be there?"

"Fuck. No. Call an emergency VP meeting later this morning, and I'll go do it myself."

"Oh. Well, we can reschedule shopping. You shouldn't do this alone." I could hear how sad she was but she was going to be professional about it.

"Don't. I can go without you guys for once. And I won't be alone. Emmett's about to meet the CI executive team." He looked at me like he'd rather be anywhere than there but just nodded. "Alec can brief on security because I know he and Jasper are communicating daily. He's focused on corporate but knows enough to answer any other questions."

"Sugar, we should be there for you on this." I guess I'm on speaker. I hate when they do that.

"Angel, I need to be the one to tell them and put their minds at ease. I'm sure we'll have a more lengthy meeting soon that I will want you to be at with me, but for today, please have fun with the girls. Emmett is super excited to be joining me." I gave him a smart ass grin which got me the evil eye in return.

Bella snorted loudly. "Oh, I'm sure. Ok boys, please be good and safe! Bye!"

"Do I have to wear a suit? I look damn fine in one but I don't like them." Sometimes Emmett looks just like a sulky child.

"Hell no. It pays to be the king, my friend."


	25. Beautification

**A/N: Another Friday, another update! **

**Btw: I don't own any of these characters. I just make them naughty.**

**APOV**

"Yes."

"No."

"YES!"

"HELL NO!" She gave me a truly impressive bitch look. I was kinda proud but tried to focus on the argument at hand. "Edward likes his kitties with a bit of fur."

Jasper and Stan both made weird strangled sounding noises but Rose, Esme and I all stared at the tiny brunette in shock. Now, Rose and I had both been with Edward sexually and he had never said that to us. We were Brazilian girls all the way.

"He told me at the sex party. Trust me, he does not want me totally bare." She was holding her damn ground.

"Let it go Alice, I beg you." Poor Jasper looked traumatized. I relented just because he had a 'man on the edge' desperation to his voice.

"Fine."

"How did we get in with an hour's notice?" Bella seemed genuinely shocked by this fact. It was only 9:00 am, so I guess it might seem strange.

"Oh you dear, sweet girl." Esme laughed delightedly at Bella's shock. "You're married to the richest man in the country, sweetie. Being a Cullen or even an honorary one has some lovely perks."

"This is going to take some getting used to, that's for sure." Bella just shook her head.

"We're here!" I started to hop out like normal but was mom-armed by Jasper right in the boobs.

"Ouch! Watch the merchandise, Major!"

"Sorry!" He looked horrified. I was almost offended. I have great tits. "We need to do a sweep first. Everyone stay here and don't open the door unless it's me coming back."

"That will take getting used to as well." Rose's low voice sounded a little nervous so I reached out and grabbed her hand tightly. "I'm ok, my darling. I just want to protect everyone, you know?"

She whispered the last part so I responded in kind. "Me too. We'll be safe with Jasper, lover. Ooo! Maybe we can all get tasers too!" I got lost in her beautiful eyes then and was startled when the back door opened suddenly.

"Come back to earth, love birds." Esme smiled sweetly at us before extending her hand regally to be helped out which had Jasper grinning.

We walked into The PINK Experience like an invading party. Even Bella was strutting with total confidence.

"Ladies, welcome back to PINK. It's such a delight to see you again!" Laurent kissed our cheeks before turning to Bella expectantly. "Mon Dieu! She is a true beauty! You must be the new Mrs. Cullen!"

He didn't try to kiss her probably because Jasper was giving him a threatening look, but Laurent's charm seemed to put Bella at ease. She had a remarkable instinct about people and Laurent was a genuinely good person.

"I normally hate the paparazzi with a passion, but I confess to watching the video of your engagement. It was so romantic and beautiful! The love! Oh my goodness!" He fanned himself in ecstasy.

"Merci monsieur. C'est un plaisir de vous recontre. Mes amis parlent si bien de vous. It's very kind of you to accommodate us at short notice." Well damn. Rose and I just kind of stared at Bella in shock. She had gracious CEO's wife down pat and it was even more effective because she was genuinely sweet and greeted him in his native tongue.

Poor Laurent was overcome. He just stared before grabbing her hands and kissing them. "So lovely."

Laurent himself showed us to our treatment centers and I engaged him to help us get the perfect shades of makeup for Bella. He almost cried when I mentioned a trim of her hair but agreed to maintaining the ends to keep them healthy. Bella had this kind of bemused look on her face but went along willingly. I had secretly asked Laurent on the phone to make sure only men worked on her. He agreed instantly so I was sure she'd be fairly comfortable.

Jasper dutifully followed us everywhere and even went into the waxing room with Bella. She was mortified but he promised to face the wall while Laurent himself did the honors. Stan and two others stood outside while the rest of us got cleaned up and de-furred.

Poor Stan had become the object of Laurent's flirtation almost instantly. He was a stocky man with a bald head and a scar on his cheek from his military days. Laurent almost drooled when he saw him. I swear that the poor guy looked like he was going to bolt at any second. He had been married until several years ago and didn't know how to handle a gay man's romantic advances. Jasper had to work hard not to laugh out loud at the whole thing. Laurent just declared himself in love.

Speaking of my flamboyant friend…

"Alice, what the hell happened to that gorgeous girl? Edward could not have…?"

I knew this was coming. He had seen her naked at the hips to wax her, so he would've seen the faint welts and scabs and bruising. They had healed nicely but the evidence was still there.

"Of course not, Laurent." He sighed loudly but still looked very upset. "Before they met, Bella was in a very, _very_ bad situation at an orphan's home. I can't tell you a lot because there is an investigation by the federal government, but that's why we have so much security here. They are all protecting her."

"Merde." He was completely serious and staring at me intently. "Alice, if there is anything I can ever do to help, let me know. I hate people who hurt kids, and while that girl is obviously much more mature than her years, I know she has been hurt for a long time."

"Thanks. We just have to keep it confidential and protect her. The story will get out but we're trying to buy the Feds as much time as possible." It was true. We knew the story would get out. These things always do.

"Abolutment! You know I am like a priest that hears confessions. The things I know would shock even you, Cherie! And yet, I tell no one." I was a little disappointed because I'd love to gossip about some of the society hags out there but I still appreciated his discretion.

Two hours later, we were out the door with tons of beauty products for Bella and a solemn promise of secrecy from Laurent. All he asked was that no one else be allowed to change a hair on Bella's head. She agreed and kissed him goodbye with her normal sweetness. I swear he was almost misty.

Back in the car, we got comfortable as we headed to our next stop. Bella was suddenly fidgety and I knew exactly what was causing it.

"Let's check in with your Edward, shall we?"

**A/N: I could be persuaded to add another update this week...perhaps with reviews...**


	26. Col Mustard, The Cougar and More, Oh My!

**A/N: A surprise Monday update! I have loved getting all your great reviews since Friday. Some of you just crack me up! I was asked what a 'mom-arm' means and it's when the driver of a car has to stop or move suddenly and throws their arm across the chest of whoever is beside them to protect them. I can't think of a better description so if any of you lovely readers have one, PM me. I've also asked when we get to the lemony parts. We have a number of chapters before we get there but in their world, it's less than five days from the scene below….happy?**

**We're back in Emmett's head which always amuses me. **

**Also, I don't own the characters, I just make them very naughty.**

**EmPOV**

"I can't believe you brought him." I just sighed because this was like the tenth time Edward had said the same thing.

"He was wailing so loud and sounded so sad that it broke my heart!" I reached into his open leather bag and rubbed Charlie's furry little head. He was sound asleep and didn't seem to mind being carried around in a bag. "Besides, you were ready to call off the meeting to stay home with him."

He just sighed again but nodded. Neither of us were going to voice just how whipped we were by this tiny kitten.

"Mr. Cullen!"

"That's Alice's assistant here at the office," Edward whispered quickly while she walked purposefully towards us.

"Good morning, Ms. Smart." She smiled politely and flicked a curious glance towards me. "Ah, this is Emmett McCarty, a good friend of my wife and now me. He's also a brilliant programmer."

"Hi! So you keep Alice in line while she keeps E in line?" I gave her my most charming smile. After all, she was the one we were going to enlist to help with Charlie.

"No one keeps Alice in line." She smiled back at me with just as much charm. Hmm…methinks the secretary is flirting with me.

"Ms. Smart, we have a favor to ask of you. Um, you see I got my Bella a kitten for her birthday and he is already very spoiled." She just looked confused as Edward tried to explain so I took over.

"Well, she's having a spa day and shopping trip with the girls and when we tried to leave him, he started howling like he was dying. So we, um, kind of put him in Edward's bag and brought him with us." Ok, so saying that out loud did make us sound nuts.

"You have a kitten in your bag, sir?" The poor thing looked confused. "Like a metaphoric kitten or a kitten-kitten?"

"What the hell is a metaphoric kitten?" Now I was confused.

"I have no idea but it's even harder to wrap my mind around the concept of Mr. Cullen carrying a kitten around in his bag." She was starting to see the humor in the situation.

"Row." Charlie made his presence known by sticking his head out of the bag and looking around with trepidation.

"Oh! A real kitten!" She reached down and grabbed him out of the bag and into her hand before scratching his chin and murmuring to him. Edward shot me a look out of the corner of his eye that radiated relief. "I'll watch him for you. Oh, the execs were almost all assembled when I walked out here. Sorry, the little guy distracted me. What's his name?"

"It's Charlie. He's pretty spoiled so he may want to sit on your lap the whole time. Just come grab us from the meeting if he gives you any trouble." She just smiled absently at Edward before walking away with her new little friend.

"So, just remember that you're there with the boss if they give you any strange looks. I handpick my execs so they should all be professional." Edward didn't look nervous at all.

And then he just strode into the boardroom with so much confidence that it should be illegal. Fuck, I really shouldn't want my best friend's husband quite this bad.

The room had a large round table with about twelve people surrounding it including the head FBI dude Atera and the female agent from the first day. The rest of the group is so not what I thought a bunch of corporate execs should look like. I should've guessed though since Edward was wearing jeans and a Rolling Stones t-shirt that they would be more relaxed than a normal office.

Most of them were wearing jeans with one or two holdouts in suits. It was an almost even split with men and women which is unusual even today. Edward just strolled to the table and sat like he wasn't about to discuss some deeply personal and disturbing shit. I got a load of curious looks but decided to follow his lead and just sat down beside him quietly.

"Morning everyone. Thanks for dragging your asses up here on such short notice. I know we're all busy but this is something that cannot wait." He got a bunch of laughs for being so blunt. "This is my friend, Emmett McCarty. And I'll introduce our two other guests in a moment."

"Are you introducing us to your new wife today, son?" It was an old guy speaking who bore an uncanny resemblance to Colonel Mustard from that Clue movie. "I'm sorry we couldn't all make the party the other night. We were schmoozing the government beaurocrats for contracts."

I'm guessing he isn't aware that there are two government people in the room.

"No, my Bella isn't with me today. She was kidnapped by the ladies for a spa day today." A few more people chuckled. "But Bella is the catalyst for this meeting today."

"So, you're going to fill us in on the prenup I'm sure you had her sign right? I mean an 18 year old bride is a huge risk." Ok, I don't know who that cougar thinks she is but I just hate her already. She had platinum colored hair, blue eye shadow and blood red fake fingernails that looked a bit out of place on her forty-something body that was draped in zebra print.

"Actually I refused to let my wife sign a prenup, so no, that's not what this is about." A lot of people actually looked nervous at this news. I guess is makes sense since he's the majority shareholder and all, but it was still not cool in my book.

"Oh, I'm sure she was just waiting for you to insist." Seriously, who is this crazy woman?

"Ms. Smith, I would recommend you stop insulting my wife." Ooo….Edward's voice was all cold and evil sounding. I liked it.

"So, are you about to tell us that she's joining the board or something? I have to admit I'm curious if she's as brilliant as the press says she is." Col Mustard looked as curious as he sounded.

"No, the press had it wrong." I swear I almost broke my neck turning to look at him in shock. He just grinned before finishing his thought. "She's more brilliant than they can possibly know."

Good. I'm glad he said that cause I would hate to have to kill Bella's new husband.

"In fact, we'll be meeting with patent lawyers and such to jump start the process of selling some of her ideas and inventions. Her programming and design skills are unparalleled." I swear the guy was about to burst with pride.

"Um, Edward?" A true geek was raising his hand nervously. Edward looked amused but just nodded. "Do we _have_ to buy her work?"

Huh?

"No, Eric, you don't, but I'll be extremely pissed if you let tech like that go to the competition." Oh, he was afraid of saying no to the boss' wife. "Bella will also be helping me with some security issues for our system."

"Why?" The guy from the party, Mike of the sweaty palms, looked pissed. "Our system is unbeatable. It's impossible to hack."

At this, Edward, me, Quil and lady-agent all started laughing out loud. The Mike-dude looked even more pissed so Edward pulled himself together to answer. "Actually, it's not impossible to hack."

"Are you trying to tell me that your new wife is claiming to have hacked us?" He was outraged at the concept.

"She not only hacked our system, Mike, she did it in three hours." Ah…dead silence. "With my permission, of course. I told you, she's far more brilliant than you can imagine."

I think the poor geek had some sort of aneurism. Edward sobered up instantly, so I knew what was coming.

"Now, I should introduce our guests. You all know my personal attorney, Mr. Jenks, but these two new faces are Special Agents Quil Atera and Leah Waters of the FBI." Now everyone looked nervous as hell. "Relax people, we're not in trouble. Though we did have a security breech that we'll discuss later."

"Other than your wife?" Poor Mike looked seriously ill.

"Yes, other than Bella. Now, before Bella would agree to marry me, she insisted on telling me some things about her life. I'm now going to pass some of that along to you as a precautionary step. There is a federal investigation going on, so I'm guessing it will leak to the press at some point." Mike wasn't the only one looking ill now. I could tell they were all freaked out about what was being investigated.

"My Bella, as many of you will know, is a certified genius. At 18, she has more college and post grad degrees than most people can imagine. She is also an orphan." The woman from the party, Jess and another lady gasped a bit. "Bella was in the system from age 3, but for the last four years, she has been living at the Sacred Angels home for girls. I'm not going to go into detail about her life before that but let's just say it wasn't good."

More and more people were looking upset. I felt sorry for them if they thought that was the bad part.

Edward stared at the table for a second before taking a deep breath and looking up at his executives. "What I'm about to tell you is pretty disturbing, so I'll apologize in advance. You may have recognized the name of Bella's orphanage because it was on the news this past week." A few people started to realize where this was going. "The matron and the headmaster of the local private school were both arrested on countless charges of rape, molestation and human trafficking. Bella was one of the girls that they…hurt. She spent those four years in hell in an effort to protect some of the younger girls from becoming victims of child pornography or being sold into slavery."

I swear that everyone seemed to be turned to stone. It was kind of eerie how still the room was just then. "My Bella, though, did not take her treatment without some retaliation. She systematically gathered evidence through hidden cameras of her own design, computer hacks and other means to try to protect herself and the others."

"Why didn't she turn them in immediately?" Col Mustard, whose name I really should learn, was appalled.

"I can field the rest, Edward, if you'd like." Quil had placed a hand on Edward's shoulder in support. I realized suddenly that he was shaking a bit. Several execs looked teary eyed at the sight. "Bella didn't know who give the information to. The two people we initially arrested are low on the totem pole of the organization. The group has people placed in social services, law enforcement and the government. Simply put, she had no idea who to trust."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "The woman who ran the home was also blackmailing Bella with some pictures of the younger girls. She knew Bella's weak spot and exploited it. She was just smart enough to know to hide the pictures off site and not on a computer because Bella would have found them."

"Recently, they decided to use Bella's talents to try to blackmail people in power. When Bella was unable and unwilling to ruin innocent lives, they punished her and then organized her sale to a very high bidder. They also planned to sell the younger girls including a set of sisters that are 12, 10 and 6. She was able to see all of this on one of her video feeds and knew she couldn't stop it alone."

"Oh God. I met them. I met the girls." Jess was openly crying. "How did she get out?"

"She had been researching a local security expert for some time and knew that he was clean. She escaped after a particularly brutal attack and handed all of her files over to him for safekeeping. Ironically, Edward here had just hired the same man to take over your retiring security chief's role." He grinned at Edward and Alec. "Jasper Whitlock served with me in the armed forces and knows my family well. He brought the information to me to help since he could trust me implicitly. I assembled a team of agents and federal prosecutors and we've been rounding up known members of the ring and trying to track down the unknown factors. With your brilliant CEO and his lovely wife's help, of course."

Edward smirked a bit and decided to take over for the rest. "Bella refused to marry me until she told me all of this, but frankly, it just made me more determined to marry her than ever. She's remarkable and I've never been happier than when I'm with her." Col Mustard smiled hugely at that statement. I'm guessing he's known Edward a long time. "Also, as my wife, she has top of the line security, so I know she'll be safe."

"Good." Col Mustard nodded at Edward in approval. "I can't wait to meet your little lady, son."

A sudden wailing was heard from outside the doors.

"What the hell is that? Does she have a kid or something?" The cougar's question had Edward and me exchanging looks of comprehension.

Ms. Smart entered after knocking and she was carrying a screaming Charlie. Edward just sighed and reached out for the little dude.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Cullen. I left him with Sid while I went to the restroom and then he wouldn't stop that screaming and was scaring the entire floor!"

"It's ok. He's never been away from Bella and is probably freaked out. Thanks, Ms. Smart, for trying." He began to pet Charlie in long swipes which instantly quieted the screaming.

"I didn't even know cats could scream like that." I was pretty impressed with little dude's lung power.

"Neither did I." Edward was shaking his head in shock. Charlie hopped up on the table and turned to face the seated executives with an 'I know what you did last summer' kind of look. The French guy from the party the other night started laughing loudly all of the sudden.

"Oh my God. You're totally becoming Dr. Evil, Edward." Everyone started laughing including Edward who was shaking his head and giving Charlie a frustrated look. "All you need now is a Mini-me."

"He's my mini-me." Edward pointed directly at me before grinning in a cheeky kind of way.

"Hey now, there's nothing mini about me, Dr. Evil." I gave him my best stink eye.

"Ok, now that we've had some comic relief, let me fill you in on some other details." Quil valiantly tried to get himself under control but he kept snickering every time Charlie would turn to look at a new person.

Edward suddenly jumped a bit and pulled out his phone. With a smile of pure happiness, he excused himself and took off for the corner. More than one set of eyes followed his form and most were filled with a kind of happy contentment. Well, the cougar just looked pissed. I'm guessing her Botox makes her look that way all the time though.

**EPOV**

I picked up Alice's call quickly.

"Hey, is everything ok?" Yes, I'm a worrywart. I can't help it after having to rehash all of Bella's history.

"We're just fine, Sugar." I actually sighed out loud when I heard her voice. "How's the meeting going?"

"Well, they're all pretty fucking shocked but that's to be expected. Charlie did provide the perfect levity when it was needed though." Fuck, I did NOT mean to say that.

"Charlie? You brought Charlie into the city?" I think she didn't know whether to be angry or amused.

"He sat there and cried at us both so sadly that we couldn't leave him there alone. I tried to leave him with Ms. Smart, but he started to actually scream loudly and scared the whole floor, so she brought him in to me." I smiled a bit when I realized Charlie was actually walking across the table to get closer to me. Ms. Smith looked freaked out and he took the time to hiss at her but a few people reached out to pet him. "He's now on top of the board room table and has earned me a comparison to Dr. Evil."

Loud, snorting laughter poured out of the earpiece.

"Fuck, am I on speaker?" I hate that shit.

"Yes, yes you are my friend." Jasper sounded like he was holding in laughter.

"I've nicknamed Emmett, Mini-me." More laughter echoed out. She sounded like she was having fun at least.

"That's classic, Sug. Well, we're at the next store, so we'll let you go. Maybe we can meet for a coffee later in between stores." Oh thank fuck she suggested it. I felt like I was going through withdrawal or something.

"Abso-fucking-lutely, love." We disconnect, so I turned back to find Charlie watching me from in between two people. I let him walk back across the table to my chair because it was funny to watch people react. He climbed onto my lap and curled up as soon as I sat down.

"Spoiled little brat." He opened one eye to glare at me before going to sleep. I tuned back into the conversation right as Quil was breaking the news about the Denali woman. Emmett actually looked at me with a bit of fear. I guess he was afraid that I'd destroy the boardroom too.

"Wait, so one of our people was involved with these vile monsters?" Marcus looked irate at the concept. He was one of the oldest people here and had been a friend of my parents for most of their lives. He tended to view me as a beloved nephew most of the time.

"Yes." I jumped back in to explain some. "I fired her last week for using homophobic slurs and sexually harassing me." James snickered so I shot him a dirty look. "She tried to break in and get her laptop so we brought it to the house and investigated it thoroughly. It only took Bella and me ten minutes to find the hidden drive."

Quil took over again but I couldn't concentrate on him. I think I just figured out how that vapid cow hid a drive from us for so long.

"Eric?"

Everyone went silent and turned to look at my youngest executive, other than myself of course. He was sweating and looked close to tears. Quil motioned to me to continue in the hopes that he'd start talking to me faster than he would a cop.

"Eric, just tell me, man. I promise to hear you out completely. I know you're a good guy." And that part was true. He was a total geek and really shy but he had a kind heart and loved kids. He always jumped in to help our school computer outreach program.

"She was pretty and nice to me. She used to come to my office with muffins and stuff to just chat. I thought…I thought she really liked me." Now he was crying. "I thought she loved me so when she mentioned wanting to send me some intimate pictures at work, I fell for it. I thought it was a good test of if my new security protocol could catch a drive hidden so well, so that's how I justified it. I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Eric, hey man, look at me." He peered over his glasses while taking big sobbing breaths. "I believe you. You'll need to walk myself and the agents through everything but I'm positive you didn't have anything to do with her other job. I may have to write your ass up for sex-chats at work but I'm not going to have you dragged out in cuffs, ok?"

"Oh-okay." He quieted a bit at that news. "I swear to you that I will do anything I can to help you catch these people. How can anyone do that to innocent kids?"

"I know what you mean, Eric. I look at my wife who is the epitome of kindness and beauty and can't imagine how someone could purposefully hurt her. So, we will get these fuckers and I may have to draft you into service to do it." He stopped crying and just looked determined and pissed off. Good.

"Ok, this meeting was just to fill you all in on the investigation. We will be meeting sometime soon with Bella in attendance to discuss issues relating to CI. I'm sure Alice will set everything up, though I'd really rather not see you fuckers during my honeymoon period." Everyone laughed at this. It was true though, I did not want to be here any time but especially not now. "Agents Atera and Waters may want to ask you all some questions about Ms. Denali but for now, we're adjourned."

"Huh. That's not really how I pictured a meeting of the bigwigs going, E. I like how laid back you people are." Emmett seemed bemused by the whole process.

"I'm more impressed with how many of my executives recognized you and tried to hide it." We both laughed at the thought but quickly sobered up and turned to talk to Eric and Quil about the Denali woman.

I can't wait to go home but I have a feeling it will be awhile.


	27. Coffee with a Side of Skank

**A/N: Another Happy Friday! Your reviews just give me a happy, so thanks. Thanks also to my prereaders, Jane and Angie who kindly make sure I make sense. **

**We're narrowing down the chapters I've prewritten. Yikes. I've had writers block for two weeks now and it's no fun, but there's a certain lemony event that makes me nervous!**

**Enjoy**

**BPOV**

"No, Tiny Dictator, we are not going to one more store until I get a real cup of coffee and a cookie or something." She started to try the big puppy eyes but even they wouldn't work. "I will tie your ass up and put you in the trunk if you try to argue with me, Alice."

"Ali-cat, we all need a snack. Not everyone has boundless energy." Rose was trying to pacify the pouting pixie. "I promise to use that energy in a _very_ nice way later if we can stop for a snack or a sandwich now."

Alice immediately agreed with a look of pure lust on her face. I guess the LLs were going to be getting it on tonight. Crap, Emmett's nicknames have invaded my brain. Eh…might as well go with it.

"So, Major Hotness, Stan-are you guys feeling any better now?" Esme snorted at my innocent sounding question and patted my back approvingly.

"Christ, B. Let's just never speak of this day again, all right?" Poor Jasper was traumatized from his morning and afternoon with us. Not only did he have to be in the room while I had my girls bits waxed, he also had to go into the sex toy store, the lingerie store changing area and every other changing area in town. "I actually kind of miss war right now."

I started laughing so hard I was snorting but I saw that Stan was giving him an agreeing nod. The poor guy was just wishing for eye-bleach by this point and probably prayed he never saw Laurent again.

"Ali? Can you text Edward to meet us at a coffee shop at least a few blocks from the office?" I didn't really have a decent cell phone and realized suddenly I didn't have anyone's number.

"Damn, we have to stop at least at one more shop today to get you a cell." I just nodded at her and listened while she arranged to meet the boys near the CI building in twenty minutes or so. It was already 3:30 pm, so I knew Edward would be dying to leave work.

In all honesty, I was missing home as well. Being the wife of the richest man in the country was going to take lots of getting used to. People fawned over me to a sickening degree. Laurent had been sweet about it but some of the shops had salespeople that were just annoying. Alice must've sensed my growing desire to mutiny because she usually kicked them out after a while.

Another thing to get used to was having access to more money than God. Alice had presented me with a shiny black credit card with Bella Cullen right on the front. When I tried to protest, she just told me it was Edward's idea and that he wouldn't even notice if I bought a plane. I was determined to get money of my own though too. I was not with my husband for his portfolio and that was something I wanted him and everyone to remember.

We pulled up at the shop ten minutes before we were to meet Edward, so Jasper and Stan hopped out to check the place out. They were back less than two minutes later, so we all moved inside and looked at the menu board. Esme offered to place everyone's order so we headed to the back of the little café to sit together at a bunch of small tables that shared a long booth on the back wall. As soon as I sat down, I looked out at the other restaurant patrons to do my normal environment scan.

I gasped in shock so loudly that Jasper was suddenly in front of me and had his hand on his gun in the holster.

"Jazz, it's Tanya Denali. She just walked in and is standing two people behind Esme." I spoke only loud enough for our party to hear me. He started to move me up all the while shielding me with his body but I stopped him. "Wait, look-she doesn't see us or recognized Esme at all. Call Quil and let's just wait for him to come get her."

"I need to get you to safety." Jasper was looking at the various exits with a considering look.

"Are you kidding? She's carrying a purse so small that she probably can't even fit a cell phone and she's wearing skin tight clothes. I'm safe. Besides, it's been a couple years so I doubt she'd recognize me. Rose, Alice move so your backs are to her and just hunker down a bit." Jasper looked like he was going to argue again but I plowed ahead. "I _really, really _need to see them arrest her and cuff her in public. If we leave now, we'll just draw attention to ourselves."

"Fuck. All right but I swear I will shoot her if she recognizes you." Ah…ok then. I was instantly reminded that as sweet as he could be, Jasper was still deadly.

He had been texting the entire time we were talking so I knew that Quil would be on the way.

"B-Edward and Emmett were still with Quil when he got the text. You need to call him NOW."

Alice handed me her phone and I immediately answered it when I saw Edward's name. "Sugar, I'm safe as can be, I promise you."

"What the fuck is going on? Did Whitlock get you out ok?" Uh…this was going to suck.

"Well, I pointed out that she would see us immediately and run if we try to leave, so he's kind of shielding me with his body and plans to shoot her if she looks over here. Besides," I rambled on over his cursing protests, "I'm dying to see this bitch go down. Call it therapy or whatever, I need to see one of them in cuffs."

"Fucking Christ. Give me to Jasper, ok?" I handed the phone to Jasper whose eyes had never once left Tanya's form. Esme had returned with our food, so Ali and Rose were filling her in. Stan was blocking them from sight and I suddenly noticed that Felix, Marty and Joe were spread around near the entrance and outside.

Interestingly, no one in the shop had noticed anything wrong. I guess these guys were the best for a reason.

**JPOV**

"Get her out of there now." Edward was freaking out big time. I didn't blame him at all because I was way more freaked out than I've ever been on a job. Caring so much about a protectee was hard.

"She's right though that it'll make the woman run if we rush out. Stan and I are physically blocking her from view and three of our guys are at the door and the front tables. I can actually see that Felix has his gun out under the table." Luckily none of the other patrons knew what to look for, so there was no panic. "Edward, I think she needs to see this woman go down."

"Ok, ok…I'm ok Em." I could hear him breathing heavily and was worried about another panic attack.

"Yo, Jasper, keep her safe and we'll be there in two minutes. E's fine by the way." Hmm…Emmett seemed to sense my concerns and was actually being calm for Edward's sake. I'm glad there was someone with him there.

I handed the phone to Bella and Esme who whispered about the awesomeness of the paninis. I almost laughed at Bella's ability to be silly when in a crisis but couldn't spare the energy to let the chuckles out. I was kind of shocked that this woman didn't sense six pairs of eyes on her but chalked it up to her being an idiot.

Two black SUVs pulled up and I saw Edward and Emmett jump out. Quil was ten steps behind them. Edward strode through the door and was on his way to us when the stupid bitch jumped up and intercepted him. A tiny body brushed by me but I caught her before she could get too far.

"Jasper, I really want to put her on the ground, I promise you can shoot her if she notices me." I didn't answer but also refused to really let go of her. Unfortunately, she did some weird kung fu typeof move and was able to slide out of my hands. How the fuck did she do that?

"Oh, I'm so glad you found me, Edward. I knew you'd regret that little tiff last week." The bitch actually put her hand on Edward's arm. He looked down at her with nothing but contempt.

"I assure you I have no desire to ever see you again, Ms. Denali. I'm here meeting my wife." He smirked a bit when he realized Bella was right behind the woman. I guess he choose to not show fear in front of the cow.

Tanya whirled around and a very cheerful Bella was standing there smiling angelically at her.

"YOU! WHAT THE FUCK ARE-" The stupid woman had put her hand out like she was going to smack Bella so I was in motion to tackle her when I realized she was already on the floor. Bella was calmly holding her wrist in a strange way. Oh…she used pressure points. Awesome. I may be in love….

"I am meeting my husband after a day of lingerie shopping for our continued honeymoon." Bella was grinning smugly and just nodded when Quil walked up with an amused but still focused look on his face. "You, however, are about to become a guest of the federal prison system."

"What?" Now the woman actually looked scared. Bella's completely calm but cheerful voice was a little creepy, to be honest.

"Ms. Denali, I am Special Agent Quil Atera of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. You are under arrest for human trafficking, rape, assault against minors…"

Her list of charges was long enough that I tuned out once Leah Waters actually cuffed her. Edward kind of jumped over her prone form and picked Bella up off of the floor. Emmett started running his hands over her to check for injuries. When he was done, he started to do the same thing to me. I was so shocked that I didn't even think to stop him but Stan's amused laughter could be heard very clearly.

"Why wouldn't you just leave, Angel? Youdidn't have to get in the middle!" Edward's breathing was a bit labored and I could tell that Bella noticed. She began to run her hands up and down his back soothingly.

"Because part of me needed to see the bitch go down in flames. Besides, it was safer to stay put hidden behind armed guards." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Felix and Marty were totally pointing guns at her the whole time. It was kind of bad-ass."

Edward's eyes met mine with a kind of amused defeat. He still didn't let go of her but he did carry her back to the booth to sit down. Without asking, he started drinking her coffee and even took a bite of her Panini. She growled at him which had him laughing out loud.

Damn…from panicked to laughing in two minutes flat. That little lady had a strong effect, that's for sure.

**EPOV**

"That's my sandwich Sugar and it was a battle to get it so don't even think about taking another bite." He started laughing at me but I pulled the sandwich to my side and gave him the evil eye.

"I'll get you all something to eat too." Esme got up but I stopped her before she could leave.

"Tell the barista that everyone gets another drink on me for having to deal with this mess. I'll also tip them all a hundred each. And get the food to go because I'd love to get out of here before the press arrives." It was a miracle none of the bloodsuckers were here yet.

"Sugar, you know that this will get out faster now, right?" Bella's large brown eyes were sad and worried.

"It was only a matter of time, Angel but it doesn't matter. They can't bother us too much." It was true. The estate was as impregnable as it could possibly be.

"Do you think Carlisle and the girls will be ok? I wanted to take them their new clothes on the way home but now I'm scared to lead the media there." She was literally scared judging by the size of her pupils.

"Angel, we can still go. All our drivers are amazing at evading people. If we leave as soon as the food is done, we can probably get away clean. See-here's Esme now." I looked up and nodded at her in thanks. "Everyone!"

All our party turned to look at me in concern. "We're going to escape before the press arrives. Bella wants to take the girls their clothes and toys now. Can we do it without being followed, Jazz?"

"Yessir, we can. I may have to scrunch the ladies into one car with you and Em but we can send a decoy back to the estate." He turned to confer with Stan and Sam who had followed me out.

"Edward, I'll go in the decoy car and take Charlie with me." Esme started to go on but was stopped when Bella suddenly gasped.

"WHERE'S Charlie?" I opened my leather bag and she sighed out loud in relief at the sight of the little ball of fur. She reached in to pet him and he just purred in his sleep.

I handed the bag and a wad of cash to Esme to take care of the bill here. She shook me off and told me that she already paid everything with the house card and petty cash so I thanked her and she took off with Charlie and Seth and Sam in tow.

The rest of us hauled ass out of the café only to be met with some press and flashing police lights. "Fuck." I picked Bella up while she held our coffee and sandwiches and rushed to the SUV. With all our security, we were able to get in unmolested and took off with us, Jasper, Em, Rose and Alice in one car driven by Felix. Stan and another guy were in the tail car and the others filled the last two as decoys.

We held on as Felix turned and twisted for a few minutes until he looked over at Jasper and nodded.

"And, we're clean ladies and gents." Loud sighs of relief greeted this pronouncement.

"Sugar, I love sitting on your lap, but I really need to eat that sandwich now. Alice starved us in the quest for fun toys so I'm about ten minutes away from turning evil on you fuckers." My Angel was completely serious and after a marathon hacking session where she forgot to eat, I knew from experience that she could get very mean.

"Understood."

**BPOV**

The noises I was making while eating seemed to be causing poor Sugar to be uncomfortable but I couldn't stop it. I was famished from hours of shopping. Most places offered us little cookies and tea but I never got to eat any because Alice was pushing me into dressing rooms the whole time.

"Next shopping trip, I am so bringing a protein bar." Alice glared at me a bit but finally nodded in concession.

"Alice, why wouldn't you let her eat? You know she needs her strength. Christ-" Sugar was about to go off on a tear but Alice interrupted him.

"I'm sorry and you're both right. I was just too excited to be out with you and shopping for the girls too. I promise to feed you regularly next time. You guys forget that I met starving Bella yesterday in your office." Alice shuddered a bit. "She's scary."

I just smiled sweetly at her and finished my sandwich with a happy moan. Jasper spoke suddenly from the front seat.

"You want my extra cookie?" I just grabbed it and ate it all in about thirty seconds. He was laughing despite his vigilant observance of the road behind us. "I think we have a Cookie Monster on our hands folks. I think Edward may even have crumbs in his hair."

I was too blissed out post-cookie to do more than give him a grumpy look. Pretty soon we were out of the city and headed to the area that Carlisle lived in which was an affluent gated neighborhood. We pulled up to a three story mansion that was a disturbing shade of pink. Poor Carlisle.

He was walking down the front walk towards us as soon as the cars were stationary. I jumped out and hugged him tight.

"I'm so sorry we didn't call first!"

His warm chuckle sounded as he pulled back and smiled down at me. "Edward texted and then Esme called, so I knew you were on the way. But you are welcome anytime. I understand you've had quite a day."

Edward explained some of the things that had been going on as Carlisle led us into the house. I got sidetracked by three small bodies bounding towards me.

"GIRLS!" We were a squealing, bouncing mess that included Rose, Alice and Emmett. Edward was laughing openly at Emmet's girly reaction.

"I'm so happy to see you, Bella." Angie hugged me extra tight. I was a little concerned but didn't see any shadows or unhappiness in her eyes. "I just missed you, that's all."

"Well, apparently Felix here can drive better than those Indy 500 drivers so I don't think there will be any problem with me visiting you or with you visiting us." She grinned at me. Katie was talking to Rose and Sophie had latched onto Edward like a limpet as we walked into the living room. I could see Brave on the TV and was surprised and amused to see Aro on the sofa.

"Edward, Bella, Alice, Rose! Such a wonderful pleasure to see you all again so soon!" He embraced each of us and then stood with his arm around me protectively. "I came to visit my new favorite girls and their kind guardian."

I fixed him with a direct look and said, "Thank you."

"It is my pleasure, Sweet Bella. You have all been through too much." Ah, I see that Carlisle has filled him in on all the details. "I will help you anyway I can, dear one."

"Thanks Aro. Being here for Carlisle and the girls is a godsend. They seem to adore you." It was true. Katie was clutched onto his hand and leaning a bit on him at this point. He released me and headed back to the couch where she sat glued to his side.

"She's really taken to him." Carlisle looked like a totally different man than the one I met last week. He radiated a sort of contentment that made me beyond happy to see.

"Oh! We did a little shopping for the girls…" He gave me a tolerant smile and nodded his understanding.

"I've ordered many things as well and Aro brings gifts constantly. He brought them Brave and sweet cakes like the ones in the movie for our Friday evening. Up next is Despicable Me, if you all are interested in a cartoon-a-thon. I haven't seen either myself and am shocked with how much I enjoy them!" Edward clapped his back happily before walking over to set Sophie down. "I'll help get the bags from the car. Alice, will you show me what should be brought in?"

She and Rose both took off with Carlisle leaving me standing with Angie and Jasper. "You bought us gifts, Bella?" Angie looked a bit nervous.

"Well, _we_ all bought you guys some new clothes and some toys and stuff. It was so much fun picking it all out. Once everything is over with and we're all safe, I'll take you all to the spa to meet Laurent and have our toenails painted." Her eyes were huge. "It'll be so much fun."

She grabbed me into a huge hug. She whispered in my ear right before she let go. "I like that you're happy now Bella. We're all happy. I wish we could stay with Dr. Carlisle forever."

Carlisle must've heard because I saw him standing behind me with a wistful look on his face. I just looked at him and spoke quietly. "We'll get you away from Muffy and then you'll have real options."

His nod was determined and sure. I think that my girls may have actually found a father that wants them. My eyes kind of filled up at the thought so he grabbed me in a tight hug and rocked us a bit. I was distracted when I heard Emmett gasp loudly.

"So she turns her mom into a bear?" I guess he got involved in the movie. It was great for the girls to see movies like this because we didn't get cable or movies at the home so they were behind all their schoolmates with regards to the current trends.

"Is the tutor working out?" Edward was talking softly to Carlisle. They FBI tried to figure out a secure way to send them to school but we all put our feet down. Carlisle demanded we let them be homeschooled with a hired tutor and no one could think of a reason they shouldn't be while all this criminal stuff was going on.

"Yep, they love Miss Marsh." He turned to me then. "So, what goes to who?"

With that, Alice, Rose and me took over and gave out all the goodies we had picked out for them. They were ecstatic to get all the new clothes and the learning computers that I had insisted on. I called Sophie over and knelt down in front of her before pulling out a Build-a-Bear box.

"This little guy is for all of you. I know that you're in a new place and I'm not here every day so I called on some fairies to put a spell on this little bear." He was a cute bear. "Anytime you're scared or just missing me, you just hug him and it'll really be me you're hugging, ok?"

Sophie's eyes were huge. Katie and Angie didn't believe as much but still looked happy to have the new bear.

"It's our Bewaa bear." Ok then, Sophie had named the bear after me. That kind of rocked.

"Hey, we can get you an entire bear family! You'd have an awesome Emmett bear and tiny Alice bear and even a grumpy old Edward bear!" Emmett was almost bouncing in excitement. Angie actually started giggling like the little girl she should be at his antics and soon Katie was giggling too.

I looked around at our crazy group and was struck by a feeling of total contentment. We may be still hunted and may have to deal with the press, but we were blessed in a way that most can only dream of.

"Ahem." Jasper had snuck up behind me so I was startled to hear him trying to get my attention. "How are you at safecracking?"

Uh…what?

**A/N: I don't usually do this but I have a few recs this week. I've been a bit blue and needed some funny, so here you go.**

**Curve Ball by staceleo: It's kind of a drabble fic about a snarky Bella and a sweet Edward. Her Bella says out loud the things I'm usually thinking during a conversation. It's hilarious**

**Bella Swan: Kidnapper by Kambria Rain: Bella "accidentally" kidnaps Edward's kids. It's pure funny with pretty much no angst. **

**Sideline Collision by Nolebucgrl: I love everything she writes but this one has a kitten in it. I'm not sure how Charlie would get along with Rainbow but they both crack me up.**


	28. Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead

**A/N: Happy Friday! Here's your next update with some intrigue involved. I'm still hitting citrus writers block! Wish me luck getting past it. Also, I'm in need of some funny recs, so let me know some of your favorites!**

**PS: I don't own them!**

**JPOV**

I had secured the house and had people at all entrances before I decided to take a look around just in case. I took Felix and started looking in rooms and stuff. It became evident that Carlisle lived in the main house mostly on the first and second floors. I decided to venture into Muffy's territory to see what the witch liked to surround herself with.

We finally located her room on the top floor of the wing attached to the back of the house. When I opened the door, I actually had to stop and stare in shock.

"I guess money can't buy taste." Felix's snorted reply and his big body brushing by me woke me up from my shocked state.

Walking in, the room appeared even more appalling than from the outside. It was done in violent shades of pink and lime green with zebra and leopard print accessories. The bed was a huge gaudy brass thing with a hot pink canopy and what looked like ropes for binding. Now, I don't mind a little bondage but that setup made me a little nauseous.

"Is that the witch?" Felix was staring at a portrait on the wall by the bed with a horrified look on his face. When I focused on it, I realized why. Judging by the photos around the house, I could tell it was Muffy but this was…wrong.

"I'm a totally straight dude and even I find that lingerie icky." Felix sounded as disgusted as I felt. She was lounged back on a settee and wearing some truly hideous lingerie. I could see that her hair was bleached.

"Wow…she's really…orange." My voice held nothing but disdain. The woman looked like an anorexic version of the woman on the old Drew Carey show…Mimi was her name. "We have to help Carlisle."

"Yeah, no one should be subjected to this horror." Felix was just shaking his head as he took in the gilt furniture and ugly vases and such. "Even Liberache would have said this is too much."

I snickered in agreement and then opened the backpack I had retrieved from the car and pulled out some of the toys I had brought with me knowing that Bella may want to visit here. I handed Felix a bug detector and I started sweeping with a little device that would show hidden compartments.

"BINGO!" I pointed my tracker at the portrait on a hunch and it paid off. "There's a safe behind the scary picture of her." We pulled the photo down and stared at the top of the line safe. "Given enough planning time, I could crack this but we happen to have two geniuses downstairs who can probably have it open by the end of the day."

"Yep. Go grab Little Bit and the boss and I'll keep watch up here." Felix moved outside the door with a shudder.

I ran down and cleared my throat, somehow managing to scare Bella in the process. "How are you at safecracking?"

"Huh?"

"I was snooping a bit trying to see what I could learn about Muffy the Witch and I found a safe in her truly terrifying bedroom." Edward and Carlisle both heard and turned towards me in shock.

"Well I don't have any equipment with me that could do it but I've broken into safes before to get evidence. Show me what we're working with and I'll see what needs to be done." Bella strode by me and straight towards the stairs with a smiling Edward right behind her. Carlisle motioned to the adults in the room to keep the girls busy before turning and heading out.

"Um….I'm sorry I snooped around your house, Carlisle. I should've asked first."

He laughed lightly before patting my back. "It's no problem, Jasper. I'm more and more impatient to be away from Muffy, so any help is welcome."

"Do you want to keep the girls?" I asked the question I knew that Bella was dying to know.

"I really, really do, Jasper. I just hope I can pass all the tests and scrutiny to do so." This time, I patted _his _back.

"Even if you didn't, Bella would just hack in and change the reports." His laugh was loud and carefree which was a welcome change from the cowed man I had met.

"Mother of GOD! I haven't been in here in years. Jesus, this is horrific!" Carlisle was looking around the room like it was a car wreck of some kind. The poor guy actually looked a little nauseous.

I walked over to Bella who was conferring with Edward and Felix quietly. "Well, it's got both a digital locking mechanism and a manual but I have a device that I built to hack into a similar safe. It won't leave any marks and works really fast. The only problem is that it's in Edward's office at home."

"Well, I could call one of the guys and have them bring it here." She looked about ready to protest being a bother so I just plowed on ahead. "To be honest, they'll probably fight over who gets to bring it. Your little inventions have been quite a topic of interest for the team."

"He's right, Little Bit. They're all dying to play with some of this stuff." Felix was looking at her with pride. I knew he and the others were getting attached.

"Well, ok. If it's not any trouble. I can look at that laptop while we wait." There was a zebra print laptop on the gold desk. "Let's just take pictures so we can put everything back in its exact spot."

"I've said it before and I'll say it again." Edward smiled at her smugly. "We're really lucky you use your powers for good, Angel."

"I'll say." Carlisle looked beyond impressed by her. "Thanks for everything you're doing. I can't adopt the girls with Muffy in the picture and I've decided that I deserve a happy life after all."

Bella and Edward crushed him into a hug that probably hurt but they were too happy to care.

"Ok, then, let's call the guys and get that safe ready to be cracked!"

**BPOV**

I was very focused on Muffy's computer, so Jasper, Carlisle and Emmett all spent their energy keeping the girls distracted.

"Ok, so I've got a hidden drive and a bunch of videos. I can access any other machines she may have from home now that I'm linked in via the virus I gave Carlisle the other day. It's already given me a bunch of data, I just haven't had time to sort through it."

"Well, let's just copy all of this onto an external drive and watch it at home just in case it's something the girls shouldn't see." Edward was taking turns typing in code with me which was just fun. I think it probably made us nerds but neither of us seemed to care.

Stan suddenly strode in with my combo cracker in his hand and an excited look on his face. I guess Jasper wasn't lying about them wanting to play with my equipment. I motioned him to the hallway and got Jasper and Carlisle's attention. Carlisle stayed with the girls but Jasper was right behind us as we climbed to the most terrifyingly tacky room ever. I didn't notice that Alice had joined us until I walked into the room and heard a little scream of horror from behind me.

"OHMAHFUCKINGCOCOCHANEL! This is…this is…I have no words." I was a little afraid Alice was going to hyperventilate. "I can't stay in here. I'll…uh…I'll be downstairs."

Edward started laughing loudly at the space she had quickly vacated. "She's going to have decorating nightmares from this for years."

"Ok boys, let's crack a safe!" I got down to work with Felix and Stan acting as my assistants. It took about ten minutes but we were in without leaving so much as a dust mark.

"Christ, you're good Little Bit." Stan just sounded impressed. I noticed that most of the security team called me Little Bit but I actually kind of liked it.

"Let's take a picture once we open it so we can make it look untouched." We pulled the door open and looked everything over. There was a plain black laptop with about seven thumb drives lined up on top of it. There were also a number of velvet and metallic boxes. I started with the boxes but wasn't sure what I was looking at.

"It looks like a collar for a cow." It was diamond and gold and had…..

"You know," Stan started very seriously, "I think we need moooooreee…..cowbell." Everyone started laughing. I took a picture and set it to the side. There was a definite theme to the boxes. Most of them were gold and diamond sex toys and collars. There was even a diamond studded ball gag with a weird jeweled eye piece that looked like real eyes.

"Ok, I'm a kinky bitch and even I'm disturbed by this shit." Everyone laughed again but I could tell they were all weirded out too. "Let's get the drives and the computer copied onto the external drive right away and then head home. I think we have an evening's worth of exploring ahead of us."

They all just nodded and got to work. Hmm…I quite enjoy having minions.

**EPOV**

I realized quickly that Bella was right about having a whole evening's worth of work to do on Muffy's computers. I was ok with this because it meant that Bella was focused on a project instead of innocently torturing me with her tiny outfits and perky body. Unfortunately, as usual, I was turned on by her mind too so it was still a form of torture. There is no escape.

My phone rang and I saw that it was Jess Stanley calling. I excused myself and went out to answer. She had seen the news and was calling to make sure Bella and I were ok. I could hear her kids shouting in the background as she relentlessly questioned me about safety precautions. I managed to placate her and promised that Bella would be in to visit next week.

Before I could make it into the living room where we were working, the phone rang again. I saw Marcus' name and immediately answered.

"Edward, son, I just saw the news. Is everyone all right?" He was genuinely worried about us. He had been my Dad's best friend and their wives became best friends once they married. He had been a constant supporter for me in the years since their deaths.

"Yes, we're all ok. She actually had several guns trained on her the whole time. We're kind of lucky one of the security guys didn't just shoot her out of anger." I was sort of joking. "They all adore Bella."

"Well, I really can't wait to meet your Bella, son. Di is driving me nuts about when we can have you for dinner. Shush Di, I'm trying to ask the boy." There was a scuffle and then I heard my honorary Aunt's voice.

"Edward, dear, I so desperately want to meet your lovely wife. Marcus hasn't told me what's going on precisely but I know you're worried about security. Could you all come here?" Aunt Di sounded concerned and I knew she wouldn't be truly easy until she saw us both in the flesh.

"Hmm…it might be better for you to come out here sometime early next week. We're actually in the middle of a project right now, so Bella's a bit distracted. Carlisle is letting us dig up dirt on Muffy at last and Bella is determined to get him free of her." They both knew and liked Carlisle immensely.

"Oh thank goodness! That woman in horrid! Well, we'll come out either Monday or Tuesday depending on what's best for Esme and your schedules." She was fast friends with Esme. "I do hope her date is going well tonight. She was actually nervous. Is this Carmen a good woman?"

"Yes, she really is. She's been amazing at protecting Bella even from the FBI at times." I wasn't surprised she knew about Carmen as she and Esme talked several times a day. She was the least prudish social dame that I knew.

"Good. I'll hand you back to Marcus. Do tell him to let me in the loop, will you? Esme wasn't telling either and I'm terrified for you all!" I gave her my love and waited for Marcus to pick back up.

"Sorry son, but you know she rules the roost." I laughed because it was totally true.

"As it should be, I'm learning." This time Marcus laughed at me. "You can tell her everything. I know it'll be hard to tell but she's worrying so much that she might make herself sick."

"Yes, I'm not sure how to start that story. I admire you so much, son, for standing up in front of all those bastards today and just saying it. I better go talk to her before she starts throwing things at me again." I laughed but I knew she had done so before. She was Greek and did not hide her temper. "Give my love to all your family, son."

With that, he signed off and I went back into the room to see a very pale Bella surrounded by Jasper, Emmett, Felix, Alice, Rose, Stan, Seth and Sam. I rushed to her and picked her up immediately.

"What is it? What's wrong? Are you in pain?" I started patting her down frantically.

"Shh…I'm fine, love." I filed her little endearment away to think about later and tried to regulate my breathing. She could tell how freaked out I was and was scratching my scalp soothingly. "I just wish I could bleach my brain and pretend I never saw what I just saw."

Everyone started demanding to know what it was to the point that she finally threw up her hands in exasperation and told them to get comfortable while she got everything lined up on the TV. Rose went and got popcorn while Emmett and Alice started handing out drinks. Bella grabbed a glass of wine from Alice and started gulping.

"Uh…Bella honey, you're not used to alcohol, so maybe you should sip it." Jasper was looking at her in concern. She huffed a bit but nodded and started sipping it slowly.

When Rose returned, Bella just gave us all a traumatized look before starting the first video.

About two minutes into the video, I was desperately wishing I hadn't asked to see it.

"Oh!"

"Fuck, that's just-"

"NO! EW!"

"Is that-ugh!"

I have no idea who was saying what but when the next video started, we all got louder.

"NO! EWWWW!"

"MY EYES!"

"Is that a real squid?"

"The donkey's real."

"OH MY FUCKING CHRIST!"

"I need to bleach my brain."

An hour later, we were all sitting silently and staring at the blue screen. Emmett had been covering Charlie's eyes since the beginning and I knew Alice was wishing he had done the same to her. It was Emmett who finally spoke.

"I've seen some pretty weird things as a porn star, but that was the most disturbing hour of my life."

"I wish I could bleach my brain!" Bella was shaking her head and gulping her wine again while Alice went on. "I just…were all those animals real?"

"I think so." Jasper had this kind of horrified almost-puking look on his face.

"At least one of those boys was under aged." Bella finally spoke.

"How could you tell, Little Bit?" Felix looked just as sick as the rest of us but had snapped to attention when she spoke and now looked ready to kill.

"The facial structure and the way that his pubic bone looked when he walked. I read a bunch of anthropology books for fun and those are clear indicators of someone around 14-16." No one was surprised that she knew this but it added a whole other dimension to the problem.

"It looks a few years old, so I doubt we could find him." Jasper sounded disappointed.

"I know we can't find him, but we can just use that to help Carlisle get out faster." Bella took her last gulp of wine and then looked at the rest of us seriously.

"Let's take this bitch down."


	29. Torture, Baklava & Truths

**Another Happy Friday to you all...for those asking about citrus, it's getting closer, I swear. Edward just has to figure some things out first but B is determined. For those asking about Polysex, you're going to have a long wait. I warned of a slow build because it's a love story that involves some complicated individuals. It's kind of hard to weave four people into a relationship slowly. Anyways, after our newlyweds consummate, we'll start with some slashy citrus to get you going. Hang in there!**

**EPOV**

Ugh. I need coffee in the worst way. We had been up til 1 talking strategy to take down Muffy. By the end, Bella was tipsy. She traipsed upstairs and began to unload some of her purchases. I was curious about what she had bought so I watched her pull things out happily.

Well, I was happy until she got to the lingerie bag. She pulled out lots of white lace and some navy blue little number that I actually dreamed about last night. I had to pull my laptop onto my lap to hide my enormous erection.

I figured the lingerie bag was the worst, but no. Bella had been to the sex store.

She dumped a plain black bag out on the foot of the bed and began sorting through it while humming _Let's Get it On_ under her breath.

First she looked at a turbo bullet that had me instantly envisioning her with her legs spread and a rapturous look on her face. Then it was a large anal vibrator that had beads and stuff. It was actually making me really want to try it but then also want to fuck her ass with it while I pounded into her pussy from behind. The next thing looked like a strap on but I think it was just a flesh-like dildo with a mounting system. At least, it better be because Bella was not supposed to be fucking anyone else but me. Though…she's not fucking me either. Fuck.

I watched her pull out a couple of creams that made me imagine licking them off of her and knew I was a goner. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom.

Inside, I couldn't decide between jerking off and dousing my body in ice water. The ice water won out because I was still a bit freaked from all that we saw on the videos tonight. By the time I got back in the room, Bella was sound asleep.

I had crawled in bed and immediately moved to spoon her when I got another surprise. Apparently she didn't bother with pyjamas tonight. My gorgeous, stacked wife was lying in my arms nude. This time, I went with the hot shower and my right hand.

Now, it was 9 am and I was dying for some caffeine. Walking into the breakfast room, I noticed that it was unusually quiet. Everyone was sipping coffee and looking sort of haunted.

"Did any of you have nice dreams or is everyone as fucking freaked out as me?" Bella's voice rang out behind me as she made a beeline to the coffee pot.

"I prefer to pretend I spent the night watching a cartoon about dancing unicorns, thank you very much."

"NOT COOL, Littlest Lesbian. Unicorns are freaks." Emmett looked at Alice horrified. She started to argue but he just spoke over her. "They lure you to Candy Mountain and then steal your kidneys."

Bella and Jasper both busted out laughing and even Alice didn't have the heart to argue with him. I looked at Jasper and said, "you're going to need to educated us about this unicorn menace, Whitlock."

"I promise." He grinned at me in a totally charming way. I chose to pretend I didn't see his lovely blue eyes holding laughter in them.

"Morning Edward, Bella dears. And how are you both this beautiful morning?" Esme waltzed in looking like she was floating on clouds. It was such a contrast from our traumatized group that I snorted out loud in shock.

"Ok, what the hell is wrong with you people! It's a gorgeous day!" She put her hands on her hips and gave us all a glare. I could see Charlie stick his head out of her pocket curiously.

"Um…we just all saw some things we wish we didn't." Bella was trying to spare her.

"Oh dear, did something happen?" She grabbed Bella into her arms instantly and I was happy to see that Bella didn't even flinch.

"Oh, we're all fine, we're just emotionally traumatized from our Muffy-research." Alice said the witch's name like it was a bad word.

"What on earth could you have found that would cause this kind of reaction?" She let Bella go but pushed a full plate of French toast towards her.

"I don't want to say it out loud." Emmett's eyes were huge but unfortunately his statement just freaked Esme out more.

Jasper decided to try to answer. "Well, she's a freak. Um, there were lots of really disturbing videos."

"How disturbing?"

"Um, well there was a saddle…" He trailed off looking uncomfortable but the floodgates had opened and all of us started naming things.

"A donkey…a real donkey."

"A squid or octopus, I'm not really sure."

"Ball gags and clamps and this weird thing with spikes."

"A teenage boy."

"People in furry costumes."

"A snake."

"OK! Stop. Jesus Christ!" She sat down hard next to us. "You all are serious, aren't you?"

"Deadly. I drank a lot of wine which is the only reason I'm somewhat rested. I think Jane may get lots of takers on talks this morning." Bella was eating ravenously.

"Ok, what time are they coming?" Esme had decided to pretend the last five minutes had never happened. I could not blame her.

"10:30 am." I started to ask about her date but my phone rang with Marcus' name on the ID. I had just spoken to him last night so I was concerned that he was calling again. I excused myself to answer.

"Marcus? Everything ok?"

"Oh, well, yes everything is fine. Sort of. I told Di everything last night. She was so upset that she couldn't sleep. I woke up to a kitchen full of prepared food and a determined wife. She wants to drop everything by and hug you all. I hope that's ok."

I snorted because it sounded like her. "How far away are you?"

He sighed. "About ten minutes."

"Ok, well our therapists are coming at 10:30 but we're all having coffee together now, so I'll tell the guys to bring you right back." He agreed and signed off.

When I returned to the room, everyone looked happier and Bella was holding Esme's hand and smiling hugely.

"She is amazing. She's such a vibrant person but there's a sweetheart hidden under all the confidence. I think I'm crazy about her." Ah…first date rehash.

"I could tell when you two met. I think she's over the moon for you too." Bella actually bounced a little bit in excitement.

I cut in before they could all get lost in romance talk. "Uh…that was Marcus. He told Auntie Di everything last night and apparently she was so distraught that she cooked every piece of food in the house and is now on the way here to hug us all and feed us."

I had told Bella about Marcus and Di so she knew who I was talking about. She just nodded a bit nervously but smiled.

"They'll adore you, Bella." Esme put her arm around Bella and squeezed gently.

"Col Mustard is coming here with food?" We all turned to look at Emmett curiously for a second before Esme, Alice, Rose and myself started laughing hysterically.

"Oh God. He does look like Colonel Mustard. Ugh, I can't laugh anymore." Rose was clutching her stomach.

"Ok then, as long as we don't let him loose in the library with a pipe, it should be a nice visit." Bella's response had us all in tears but she and Jasper and Emmett just watched with total amusement.

Jasper's phone rang so he picked it up to approve their entry to the estate. Bella got up and walked over to my quivering body and smacked the back of my head unexpectedly.

"Hey!"

"Get yourself together Sugar. I'm about to meet your honorary Aunt and Uncle and I don't need a hyena introducing me." She turned and sashayed out with those fantastic hips of hers swaying back and forth. I wasn't the only one who noticed either. Emmett and Jasper both had raised eyebrows but got up immediately to follow.

We all ended up getting to the entrance hall right when Felix opened the door. "EDWARD!" Aunt Di rushed me and pulled me in a hug that had me falling back a step or two. Marcus stood in the doorway looking sort of sheepish.

"Hey Auntie Di." I hugged her back and then turned to grab Bella's hand. "This is my lovely Bella."

"Oh sweetheart!" She leaned over and gave Bella a much gentler hug which Bella tolerated really, really well. She was already feeling safer after just a week away from the home.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you. Edward raves about both you and your baklava."

"Well, I've been dying to meet you since he called us and told us he got married. That video of your proposal was so beautiful." Aunt Di had pulled back and made room so Marcus could greet Bella.

"Miss Bella, I'm Marcus. I'm very excited to meet the lady who has made our Edward so happy." He gently shook her and smiled. I could see that she liked him right off the bat.

"Please come in for some coffee. We're all finished breakfast and are just sitting around together." She looped his arm with hers and they began to walk back towards the breakfast room.

"Oh my, dear. She's quite a beauty and so mature! I'm so happy for you both." Aunt Di grabbed my arm and turned to give her driver a beseeching look. He walked out with Felix behind him, so I'm guessing the food would be brought in quickly. The breakfast room was connected to the kitchen, so we'd have a good view of exactly what she brought.

"Thanks Auntie Di. She's amazing in every way."

"Marcus was right. You love her very much." She didn't wait for an answer before continuing. "I couldn't believe what she had been through. I just wanted to do something, anything for you all. I even made baklava."

"Oh SCORE!" I was almost bouncing in glee. Emmett looked intrigued. When we got to the breakfast area, I introduced them both to him and Jasper before beginning to beg for pastry.

"Silly boy, of course you can have some." Auntie Di tottered off with Esme to go through the astonishing number of platters and bags that now lined the kitchen.

"I swear she just cooked everything we have. It's her stress-habit which is why I have such a nice tummy." Marcus patted his stomach happily. "Now, I understand Carlisle is fostering your three young friends. That's a wonderful thing for him as well as them I'd imagine."

"Yes, he's crazy about them all and is ready to kick Muffy to the curb." Rose was grinning again so I guess the trauma from the video session was wearing off. "Bella here has found plenty to make it a fast divorce. She won't know what hit her."

"Excellent. I hate that repellant creature." Di came back with a platter of baklava. She put two in front of Bella before letting any of us touch them. Marcus just grinned at me.

"Oh my goodness! I think this is the best thing I've ever eaten." Bella was almost inhaling the pastry which I finally got a plate of for myself. Di had piled it high knowing my weakness for it.

"Well, I could teach you the secret if you'd like." Bella looked incredibly excited by the prospect.

We visited with Di and Marcus right up until the Wells' arrived for our sessions. I had told them both that we were seeing therapists and Di was all for it. She claimed that it was essential to keeping your mind healthy in stressful times.

After introducing them both to the therapists, they took off with promises of more pastries and a dinner together soon.

"They're great, Edward." Bella just smiled happily at me before wandering off with Afton for her session.

"Where do you want to talk today, Edward?" Chelsea looked at me with a kind smile.

As I led her back to my office, I noticed that Alice, Rose and Emmett had grabbed Jane for some type of joint session. Chelsea gave me a curious look, so I had to explain what we had all been through in the last 24 hours.

"My goodness, that's quite a day you all had. Let's start with the panic attack." We talked about that and how I was panicking more and more for about a half an hour. She finally moved on after one last statement that was going to stick with me.

"Edward, you wouldn't be so panicked if you didn't love her so very much. Loving someone is such an intense thing to feel that it's natural to feel extremes when you're worried or happy or scared. Try using those techniques we discussed and don't be afraid to talk to Jasper and Emmett since they both seem to understand what you're going through. And, according to Emmett, even Bella is knowledgeable about the issue."

I just nodded and promised to ask for help when I need it. That promise alone was a new thing for me to deal with but I knew she was right about it. She didn't press but moved on right away to last night's video horrors.

"How are you fairing with that kind of imagery in your head?" She had such a relaxed and calm voice that I was always at ease.

"Well, let's just say we all drank a lot, that's for sure. Bella hit the wine pretty strongly but doesn't appear to be hung over in the least. I think she's able to deal with what we saw easier than the rest of us." As I said it, I realized it was true. I noticed this about our sessions frequently.

"Well, she's had plenty of experience compartmentalizing things that are horrible. I imagine she'll talk it out with Afton and be ready to move on faster than the rest of you." I just nodded because she was absolutely right. "She has a remarkable ability to heal. How was she after you watched the videos last night?"

"Well, she drank a lot and was tipsy but appeared better than I felt. She was singing under her breath the whole time she unpacked her purchases from yesterday." I trailed off and tried to focus on anything other than the lingerie and the sex toys.

"Hmm…what aren't you telling me Edward?"

Damn, smart therapist.

"Well, one of the bags was full of lingerie. She was so relaxed and happy that when she started to unpack it, it took me a minute to figure out what I was seeing. The items were…stimulating. Unfortunately, it seems that Alice and Rose also took her sex toy shopping because that was the next bag. I kind of freaked out and had to run and hide in the bathroom and take a cold shower. When I got back, she was asleep but was too tipsy to bother with pyjamas, so she was lying there naked."

I tried really hard not to picture it now.

"Hmm…so Alice and Rose think Bella is healed enough to pleasure herself regularly?"

This smells like a trap. "Uh, yeah. They think Bella's perfectly ok in that department. Actually everyone does, but me."

I should not have said that last part.

"Why don't you think that? I know we've talked briefly about it but let's just dive in more fully, ok?"

"I really don't want to."

She smiled at me with true humor. "Ah yes, but the things we don't want to talk about are usually the ones we really need to talk about."

Fuck.

"Well, I saw what they did to her. Christ…it was…there isn't a word for it. In some of the videos she was so young…I…I…" I started to pant again and knew I was freaking out.

She was beside me before I realized it and had my wrist in her hand. "Ok, Edward, remember what we discussed? Let's count your breaths…one…two…"

After about a minute, I was starting to breathe easier. She stayed beside me but released my hand. "Edward?"

I turned toward her and nodded for her to continue.

"This may seem like a weird question to ask at this time, but humor me ok?" I nodded again and she continued. "How many orgasms have you had since you and Bella got married?"

"What?" I was lost.

"Well, you told me you were a very sexual creature. How many would you have a week before you met Bella?" I looked at her strangely but tried to answer anyways.

"Um, usually more than one a day. I thought I was a sex addict for a long time but I realized I'm just highly sexual." I shrugged but was suddenly afraid she'd tell me I _was_ a sex addict.

"I can tell you that you're not a sex addict. Addicts _have_ to have their fix and do so no matter what." She smiled at my relief. "But answer the first question for me please."

"Uh…well it's been almost six days so maybe five?" Oh. Oh shit…that's just weird for me. I still jerked off when I had the flu!

"Hmm…well, I know that your panic attacks are definitely stress related but there may be some tie in to your libido as well. Your body is used to releasing certain chemicals numerous times a day and now you aren't doing that. In fact, you are consciously suppressing those urges. I think it may be related to your tension level." She smiled at my incredulous look. "I'm not saying youwon't have anxiety even when you have sex as usual, I'm just saying that you may not panic as much or may be able to calm yourself down better. Honestly, it's a theory only at this point but it's worth thinking about."

"Uh…ok…I guess I'll get really familiar with my hand again." I smiled wryly as she moved back to the chair across from me.

"You don't have to masturbate. It sounds like you have a willing wife sleeping next to you every night."

What the fuck?

"What the hell, Chelsea? You know she's been victimized and abused for years. She's not ready for a real sexual relationship yet!" I was on my feet and pacing even before I realized it.

"Edward, please just hear me out, ok?" I nodded but kept pacing. "From what I've seen of Bella, she doesn't view herself as damaged goods, so why do you?"

"What? I don't view her as broken or anything! She's perfect!" Wait…huh?

"While I admire your devotion, no one is perfect and you should not expect her to be. It's too much to live up to. Now, moving on, while Bella will certainly be battling PTSD, it would seem from what you've told me that it is mostly focused on violence and women, so why should she be denied sexual pleasure while she fights those issues?"

Umm…there's an answer to this, I know it.

"I have not spoken to Afton at length but I did ask one question which he answered honestly. I asked if she was healthy enough for a sexual relationship and he said, and I quote 'she's remarkably healthy in the sex department. She's been abused by women so she doesn't associate anything she wants to do with Edward with that trauma.' Now, I want you to think about that and tell me what comes immediately to mind." She peered at me curiously.

"Uh…that maybe she doesn't know her own limits." I sounded unconvinced even to myself.

"Do you trust Afton to know if she is healthy? I know we've only just met and true trust comes with time, but I have a feeling you wouldn't let us anywhere near her if you didn't believe we were competent and able to help." She was right again, damnit all to hell.

"But I've seen her have nightmares and I've seen her be frightened at a touch!"

"Your touch?" I shook my head. "Jasper?" I shook my head and tried not to growl. "Emmett? Carlisle?" I continued to shake my head. "When she has a nightmare, does she get more frightened when you touch her?"

"Um, no she calms down almost instantly." Fuck it all, this conversation is not going how I thought it would.

"Edward, I'm going to ask some things and then say some things that may make you mad but just listen."

I gave her an incredulous look because she'd already said some pretty frustrating things.

"Do you realize that Bella may be misinterpreting your unwillingness to be sexual as you thinking she's damaged or not good enough in some way?" I dropped back down to the sofa and just stared at her. "She's worked very hard to heal these wounds but constant rebuffs from the man she adores may begin to actually damage her confidence in the way you are afraid that sex would damage her."

"But…" I just didn't know what else to say.

"Also, Edward, your family all seems to believe she's ready to have a real marriage with you. I'm wondering now if your refusal may be an unconsious way to protect yourself." I started to argue but she continued. "You told me that your first relationship with a man ended in his suicide due to his family's rejection of his sexuality. That has left you scarred, Edward. It would scar anyone with a heart. Now, I know you said you weren't in love with him and I believe you because you speak of he and Bella in entirely different ways. But, is it possible that part of you is afraid to be fully married to Bella both sexually and emotionally because you're afraid she'll leave or something will happen to her?"

I just stared into Chelsea's hazel eyes for a long time before I could answer. "I think I'm in love with her."

She suddenly broke out into a huge smile. "That's very good to hear."

"Fucking Christ. You all knew already didn't you?" I just shook my head in confusion.

"You kind of radiate love around her. It's rare and very precious. As your therapist, I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm positive she loves you as well." I just continued to look at her curiously. "I think this may be the true heart of the matter for you as far as sex is concerned. You love her and now you know it. It's natural to feel scared, especially when it's such a deep and sudden love, but the joy it can bring is so far beyond the fear that you'll be astonished."

"Do you really believe she thinks I don't want her?" I was kind of terrified of her answer.

"I think she knows why you are really refusing her in her heart but there's still someone who has dealt with a lot of rejection inside of her so if things go on as they are, she may question whether you think she's too damaged to love or not." Ok, that's the most horrible thing she could have said. She must've seen my reaction because she started talking again. "BUT, and this is the key, Edward, she doesn't think that now. She sees you wanting to protect her from everything, including yourself. Just think about talking more openly about this with her and maybe try to really listen to what she and your family say when they talk to you about sex. Ok?"

"Ok." I meant it but was still so horrified that she may think I don't want her and respect her that I was having trouble focusing.

"I think I may have lost you for now. We talked about a lot but just promise me you'll think about it. Take time to yourself and just hole up in your office if need be, but be nice to yourself and really think." She stood up and held out her hand to shake. "I'm on call if you need me, ok?"

"Ok, thanks for coming on a Saturday."

"It's a pleasure to be able to help such extraordinary people. The two of you are special in many ways, kid. Just remember that." She was only ten years older than me but I let the 'kid' comment slide as she walked out the door.

_**A/N: Can you see the relationship gaining momentum? I promise, E will stop cockblocking himself very soon. Because I'm a tease, I'll tell you now that we have some interesting things coming up including an explanation of why they dislike unicorns (and why I find them scary), a friendship changing to something more and perhaps even a kitten-eyed view of things. See you next week!**_


	30. Observations & Hard Talks

**A/N: Sorry I'm late. Happy Saturday? This is a bridge of sorts to get us where we need to go for them to get their lemony acts together. There's a few more chapters before they do it, but I'll see about picking up the writing pace to speed things along. Enjoy!**

**EPOV**

After Chelsea walked out the study door, I wandered towards the kitchen but stopped when I saw Bella in there with Afton and Esme.

"Holy crap, this is good!" He was talking with his mouth full but it just made the ladies laugh.

"I know, right? She's promised to teach me how to make it." Bella sounded so excited.

"That's a high honor. She wouldn't teach her daughter in law no matter how much the girl begged." Bella looked a bit shocked to hear this. "After they divorced, she told her son that she would never give the recipe to someone unworthy and if they hadn't snuck off to Vegas, she would've warned him the girl was a gold digger from the start!"

They all laughed loudly and I was struck by the easy domesticity of the scene. Afton spotted me but didn't say anything so I kept watching.

"Bella, sweetheart, I was thinking of asking for your help on a project." Esme walked over and wrapped her arm around Bella before continuing. I saw Afton smile at the easy way Bella accepted the affection and nodded that I had seen it too. "Well, when Carlisle escapes Muffy, he'll need somewhere to live with the girls, right?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. You're right though, he probably won't want to stay there after he hears some of what she's been up to even in the house." Bella's nose wrinkled in disgust. She was so fucking cute. "Hmm…his family is wealthy, right?"

I decided to make my presence known then. "Yeah, he's wealthy but I think I already have a solution. Esme, you know that big house that we renovated for fun last year…"

"OH MY GOD! It's perfect!" She was bouncing in glee and rushed me with a tackle hug. Bella and Afton just looked on curiously. "There's an old house about ¾ of a mile down the way on this estate. It's from the 19th century and is lovely. Edward wanted me to renovate it for myself but it's too large for my tastes. I love my little bungalow down the way."

She, Rose and Alice and Sam and Seth all had houses within ¼ of a mile of the main house. She really did love her two bedroom house deeply. She started to talk again.

"Well, I hated seeing it just sitting there in ruins so I talked to Edward about maybe making it a guest house for visiting executives or dignitaries or something. He was, as usual, just happy to let me have something fun to do, so I worked with some contractors and we did the whole thing over again." Now Bella was looking very excited.

"It would be perfect. There're five bedrooms that we left plain until Esme, Alice and Rose could decide on a decorating scheme. We met you and got distracted, love." I walked up and put my arm around my Angel who kind of melted into my side with a happy sigh. Maybe I am an idiot. I decided to go on rather than focus on that. "There's enough space to make a big backyard and even put in their own pool. We can find some playground equipment that's safe and even a tree house maybe! And it's close enough that they can text us and come visit every day!"

Bella looked at me for one long moment before bursting into tears and latching herself around me with both arms and legs. I was terrified but both Afton and Esme were smiling. I finally was able to make out what Bella was saying. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you…"

"Angel, you're not alone in loving them anymore. It would be wonderful to have them and Carlisle so very close. And I think Carlisle might go for it now because the girls would be safe and happy there." She finally dismounted me but stayed snuggled into my side. "Well then, how do we go about this?"

"Well, I need some time this afternoon/evening to work on something," she gave me a curious look but just smiled suddenly and nodded so I went on, "but we can call them now and get them over here. You and I can break the news to Carlisle while Emmett and Esme play with the girls. Then we can show them the house if Carlisle is willing to look at it. Now that I think about it, I'm more and more eager to move them in so that they'll be even more protected."

"Sounds like a plan, Sugar." She grinned with what looked like pure happiness.

"Ahem…I think Jane is done with the group session so I think we're going to head on out, if that's ok." Afton had his arm around Chelsea. When did she get here? Judging by the satisfied look on her face, I'd guess a while ago.

"Sure."

"Holy fuck." The muttered curse sounded right before Jane turned the corner looking totally traumatized. Both her partners ran towards her instantly. "I'm fine, I'm fine…I just need to bleach my brain. I so shouldn't have asked to see but it sounded so unreal I just had a brain fart and wanted to understand…"

Bella and I both snickered a bit which alerted Jane to her audience. She smiled ruefully but Bella spoke before she could say anything.

"It's cool, really. We're all in the same boat, except Esme who was lucky enough to miss the experience. I'd be more freaked out if you were just your normal self after seeing that." Jane smiled hugely at her and thanked us both.

"Um, we'll be on call in case anyone needs to talk some more." She looked like it would be weird if she didn't get another session about those kinky videos.

"Um, we're telling Carlisle today so I may suggest he meets with you. We are NOT going to show him the videos, right Edward?" Bella looked at me expectantly.

"God I hope not. He could insist but I pray he won't."

Jane just nodded in agreement. "I'll be on call nonetheless. Later Cullen entourage!"

With that, they took off with Jane nestled in the middle still shaking her head.

"Is it ok that I need some time-"

Bella interrupted me instantly. "Of course! I get it, Sugar, I really do. Besides, I think I may be busy with Carlisle and the girls too!"

I just smiled at her in wonder because she really was ok with me taking time. Maybe everyone was right and I really was the emotionally immature one with too many fears.

I think this alone time would need whiskey if I was going to be asking questions like that.

**BPOV**

I paced outside the doors to the living room impatiently. Did I do the right thing?

"Stop pacing, Little Bit. You're making me dizzy. He's a grown man and a doctor. I'm sure he's seen some pretty nasty stuff in his day." Jasper was watching the door without blinking, so I knew he was just as nervous.

"Angel, I'm sure he'll be ok. It's not as if he loves her." Sugar was sitting on a chair across the room staring out into space. I'm not sure what's going on with him, but I'm going to give him as much time as he needs to figure it the hell out.

"Well…" I stopped pacing and tried to avoid both their eyes when they turned to me.

"Bella? We _did_ see everything right?" Damn Jasper and his smart investigative self!

"Not exactly."

"What? What else was there?" Now Sugar looks scared.

"Nothing like the others. Uh…she kind of drugged and screwed Carlisle."

"Why wouldn't you tell us this last night?" Now Sugar looks pissed.

"Because I didn't think he'd ever see the other videos but once he decided to, I didn't feel right hiding that one from him."

"Explain more, please." Jasper looked livid. Hell, I was too but he looked able to kill. Yikes and Yum!

Fuck, there's something wrong with me.

"Um, well, it's older and they are both young. It starts out with him and her talking about an agreement to have a marriage of companionship only without consummating. She knew he was gay going into the marriage and said she was fine with it." I gulped a bit because the next part is horrifying. "Well, the video is taken from the bedside table and you can see her put a drug into a glass of wine. Then she puts another in later. I'd guess some sort of sexual stimulant. I didn't watch anymore because I didn't think I should. But I had to show him because it essentially means that she raped him."

"And thank you for that, Bella. I've long wondered what the hell happened that night." Whoops. I turned to Carlisle with the most sheepish look I could manage. "Thank you for finding all of this. I think that I may be rid of Muffy far soon than I could have ever hoped for before!" He reached forward and hugged me.

"Do you have a good divorce attorney?" Sugar got in on the hug action with a sigh of relief.

"Well, Aro has a person who he thinks would be great. I was actually going to meet them tomorrow morning. Um, Bella, can you get all this video evidence into a form that I can pass on to the lawyer?" The good doctor was bright red but determined.

"Already done." I handed him the external drive that I had made for him last night. "Uh…the password is dingdongthewitchisdead123."

Everyone started laughing at my choice but I thought it was fitting.

"Oh!" Carlisle looked so stunned suddenly that Jasper had his gun half out of the holster and was staring around in soldier mode. "NO! No, it's nothing like that. Sorry."

"It's ok. I've been on a hair trigger since the coffee shop yesterday." Jasper just shrugged and grinned at Carlisle.

"I was just realizing I'll need somewhere to live. I should call a realtor."

"Um, well, we had an idea about that." Sugar was running his hands through his hair nervously but Carlisle just looked intrigued. Thankfully Esme walked up just then and took over.

"Carlisle, do you remember that house I restored on the compound last year? It's just sitting there empty and we would all so love to have you and the girls close by!" She linked her arm and made to pull him towards the kitchen but he stopped and looked at Edward in concern.

"Edward, I can't just take a house…"

"Yes, you can. It's empty and useless right now. There's a huge yard for the girls and you'll be just a few minutes away! Please, consider it for our sakes. The girls are used to seeing Bella frequently and I miss getting to talk to you as we used to…yes, just talk, Angel. My wife has such a dirty mind." Sugar gave me a half proud/half exasperated look. What can I say? It's a hot visual.

"Please, Carlisle. You'd all have the estate security and it would put my mind at ease knowing that those bastards can't get to the girls or you." I tried my own puppy-eyes and apparently I did it right because Carlisle just sighed loudly before nodding.

"Let's take a look."

"YAY!" I could not stop bouncing. "OH Esme!" She stopped her own bouncing to turn to me curiously. "Can you maybe call Carmen and run all this by her? She may be able to help us smooth it all over with Social Services."

"Of course, I'd love to. I'll invite her out to see the house this afternoon while we're over there talking colors and stuff. Carlisle, dear, would you mind terribly if Alice, Rose and I worked with the girls to create their own perfect rooms?" Ok, who knew that Esme had the best puppy eyes of all?

"No, I'd love to be a part of the madness too, though. And, um, I'll call Aro. He's good at getting my Katie-girl to really start talking." I grinned at him hugely.

"That's wonderful! We have an entire kitchen full of Di's goodies and meats and stuff, so we are covered for dinner. I think she may have cooked a whole lamb." Esme looked ecstatic to have a full house.

"Sugar, I know you had some work to do-"

"I'll do it after we show everyone the house or maybe dinner. That way you guys can get knee deep in the decorating and I won't miss anything that I wouldn't want to miss already." He smiled gently at me but I could see the storms behind his eyes. My man needed some plain old thinking time, so I would make sure he would get it.

**APOV**

"OMG! This is so fun!" I was bouncing but I was being given the opportunity to decorate three little girls' bedrooms and a whole house in like a few days!

"Dear God. This is your dream come true, isn't it?" My Rosie was looking at me with an amused smile. "Just remember that they might not all like pink."

"Ok, ok…but it's fun, right?" She nodded tolerantly at me and we continued on the path towards the house. Katie was holding Aro's hand while Angie walked arm in arm with Bella. Sophie had climbed Edward as soon as she saw him and was not getting down any time soon.

When the house came into view, Carlisle actually gasped out loud. "I hadn't seen it completed. Wow, Esme…you're kind of a genius."

"Really, darling, this is exquisite." Aro had actually clapped his hands together in delight. I kind of love him.

"This might be our new foster house?" Angie's whisper had me looking at her in concern but Bella was grinning happily at her. I guess she was just shocked.

"Yep. This is the place."

They loved the inside even more than the outside. I think Katie almost fainted when she saw the bedrooms for each of them. Carlisle quickly agreed to move in which was all the green light we needed to bombard the poor guy with decorating questions.

Aro's amused giggles alerted Rose, Esme and I to Carlisle's dilemma. He was standing there looking at us all like a deer in the headlights. "Perhaps you could do the ground floor in warm natural colors to go with his lovely hair and skin tone and then the bedrooms could be individualized?"

"Hmm…fashionable and smart. I really do love you, Aro." Esme linked arms with him and began to talk warm tones quietly.

"Please…that sounds great. You know I'm not fussy." Carlisle was so relieved that he actually sagged a bit.

"Well, we'll get basics down and then as you settle in we can make some changes for you personally." He just nodded at me so I grabbed Sophie from Edward and got to live out my own personal fantasy. We were planning a pink and purple princess room that I might just move into myself.

**RPOV**

"Angie, sweetie, I hate to break it to you, but Alice may move in to Sophie's room if we're not careful. She loves a princess theme." My little joke earned me a solid giggle so I saw it as a success. "What's your favorite color?"

"Well, I kind of like blue. We went to the beach in New Jersey with our parents before…well, before…and it was so pretty." I let her slip slide so she wouldn't feel self conscious.

"Hmm…we could paint the walls a pretty light blue and make it look kind of like a pretty beach house room, if that's ok?" She actually bounced a little so I knew it was all good. "Knowing my wife, I think it's safe to say this will all be done in a few days time but we can change anything you don't like, ok? You never have to be afraid to tell us what you want or don't want, got it?"

"Ok, I'll try." She looked a little nervous but seemed to be willing to try being honest about it all. Bella walked up just then and asked about what she was thinking so I left them to have some time together.

Edward was leaning against the wall in the hallway just kind of observing everything with a little smile on his face, but I knew something was up.

"Ok, friend of mine, what's the deal?" I pinned him with my best bitch-stare but unfortunately he knew my tricks.

"I just have some thinking to do, that's all." Hmm…evasive. Interesting. I watched intently and sure enough his eyes flicked to Bella and did a full body scan, too.

"You're rethinking the sex thing." He started to protest but I just kept talking. It was the most effective means of winning an argument against him or Alice. If you let them start talking, it would all be over. "Say no more, just don't wallow too long, got it?"

He just gave me one short, jerky head nod before glaring at something at the end of the hall. I turned and was not surprised to see Jasper there. I was a bit surprised to notice that he was looking at Bella's ass. I had noticed more and more that he appeared to be looking at Bella in a way that most gay men wouldn't. Hmm…I figured him and the 'Pounder' might get it on but right now, he was focused on Bella's rather juicy tits.

Ah…nope! His eyes just flickered to Emmett's package too. He seems to be a bit torn. Well, then…this calls for some investigation.

Now, I just need to wait for the right opening.


	31. Self Growth & Personal Time

**A/N: Hello All! No, I haven't mixed up my days of the week again (Yes, it's happened before...). I wanted to post early this week as I'm not sure I'll be able to tomorrow. So, here's your chapter with a bit of zest for fun!**

**BIG hugs and thanks to my prereaders Jane and Angie who try to keep me grammatically correct and coherent. It's a hard job!**

**BPOV**

Six hours after showing the girls their future home, we had talked and re-talked colors and eaten a shit-load of Di's awesome food. Carmen and Esme disappeared a half hour after Carlisle, Aro and the girls left, so I was pretty sure Esme's bungalow was seeing some action. I tried really hard not to be bitter about the fact that someone was getting laid when I certainly wasn't.

Involuntarily, my eyes flicked towards the doorway for what felt like the millionth time. Edward had disappeared after eating a little bit with the air of someone who feels like they're carrying the world around on their shoulders. I guess I recognize the look from my own crushing feelings of responsibility. The trouble with being an uber-genius is even you start to feel like you're supposed to have all the answers all the time. But, that's an impossible feat and one that I think is more of a curse than a blessing. Having realized that I didn't know everything, made me feel less pressure, but it was all still a work in progress. My sweet husband was learning it slowly too.

"OOOOO!" Alice's squeal cut into my deep thoughts. She was bouncing maniacally in front of the television as she surfed various decorating sites with the remote keyboard.

"I love that one!" Emmett sounded just as excited and I got lost for a second in their discussion about perfect "fairy" color schemes. I swear that somewhere inside his mind, Emmett is secretly a 16 year old girl.

I continued my search of beach themed decorating for my Angie because I knew that she needed a tranquil escape even more than her sisters. I know she saw more than the younger girls and probably has some idea of what had been going on at the home. Sometime in the near future, I needed to sit down and talk to her about it all because I could see the questions and emotions swirling inside of her young eyes. I made a mental note to get together with Carlisle to discuss how and when to tell her as well as how much.

Huh. I automatically included Carlisle in my plans to help the girls through this long term. I mean, I know I was wishing that he would keep them and make them all a family but I didn't realize that it was a fait accompli in my mind. I've spent so long being the only one to protect them, but now, I just automatically trust that Carlisle will too. Damn. Maybe I was further down that self-growth path than I thought.

Go me.

Another set of squeals brought me out of yet another deep line of thinking. Damn. I really need to stop wandering off to la-la land. When Alice shouted out a "NO UGLY!" about the set I was looking at online, I just shrugged and started snorting at her bizarre hyper-focusing ability to pay attention to lots of things at one time. I was getting very used to my crazy new family.

Looking around, I was amused to see Jasper kind of hiding in the back of the room. I didn't blame him given the girly discussions taking place. Rose was likewise a bit apart from all of us though she appeared to be working on stuff for the house as well but I could tell she was really keeping an eye on all of us.

Where once, that thought would have freaked me the fuck out, now it just seemed normal. Sweet.

Feeling like a self-growth rock star, I turned back to my work right as Emmett collapsed next to me to check my progress. Charlie began to knead my leg in a comforting little maneuver and I got lost again in the process of creating a home for my three adopted sisters.

**RPOV**

Glancing around, I took a moment to check on my little family.

My Ali was barking orders into her cell phone to a Jasper-approved painter to bribe him to come paint the house starting tomorrow. If her plans went correctly, it would all be done by Monday night. I'm pretty sure she had Edward's black card and was also ordering furniture to be collected and delivered all within three days time. It's amazing what money can do. I'm guessing Carlisle will be pissed when he finds out that Edward paid for it all but Edward was thrilled to have them all here protected better so he'll surely find a way to talk Carlisle into it. He isn't the prodigy of the business world for nothing.

Bella was looking at bedding and curtains and such online with Emmett. I swear that I never thought he would be so girly underneath it all but he was literally squealing with Alice-like zeal at all the little girl sets they checked out. Somehow Alice was watching them look at the same time she was talking on the phone and ordering furniture, so she would randomly bark out comments too. It made Bella laugh like a loon which was nice to see. Her eyes flicked to the doorway frequently but she didn't seem to be overly worried about Edward. He had disappeared as soon as Carlisle and the girls left and I'm pretty sure I saw a bottle of whiskey in his hand too. Whiskey was his brooding drink of choice.

That left Jasper alone in the corner. This was going to be too easy. I grabbed another bottle of whiskey and walked towards him with two glasses. I wasn't planning to drink too much since someone had to be sober enough to talk Alice down from some of the things she was envisioning. I'm pretty sure Carlisle would not appreciate rabbits or owls running loose in the house. Katie loved nature and myths so Alice was going nuts with an enchanted forest theme. She was already buying a huge fish tank for Angie's water themed room complete with a number of very exotic fish and maritime species. I decided to tackle that obstacle later and focus on the brooding man in front of me.

"So, Major, I think we both deserve a drink after this rather packed day." He lifted one blonde brow at me but just nodded a bit. I poured the first two fingers and knocked them back instantly. He seemed impressed and did the same. I'm sure he noticed that I didn't pour myself very much for the second round but he was a gentleman and would probably assume that it was my girly tolerance.

We drank in silence but I did manage to get him to a third glass. Damn, the man didn't look all that affected. Ok, then…no drunken confessions, but maybe he was at least mellowed enough to be more open to conversation.

"So, what's the deal with you lusting after Bella?" He actually choked on his whiskey which I took as a victory. "I mean, I thought you just did dudes. Are you turning bi in your old age?" That got me a dirty look but I could see honest confusion in his eyes. "You can talk to me, you know. I won't tell anyone."

A huge sigh escaped those pretty lips. He was a fine looking man. If he was a chick, I'd totally invite him to a threesome. Hell, if he ever wanted some female experience, I'm pretty sure Alice and I would be first in line to help him out.

"I have no idea what the hell is wrong with me. I mean, I tried to date a few girls in high school but it never actually turned me on. Honestly, tits freak me out. I mean they're all jiggly and pointy or soft and floppy." I stared at him in shock which had him laughing out loud. "Yeah, I'm sure you have a different opinion on the female body."

"You're damn right I do. There's nothing quite like a perky set of breasts to suck on." Hmm…speaking of, Alice was bouncing again. Jasper snorted from beside me, so I tried to focus back on the conversation at hand.

"The problem is that from that first night, I can't seem to stop thinking about Bella's body. Don't get me wrong, I adore her sweetness and sharp wit but the body-lust is a new thing for me." Hmm…interesting. "Edward totally knows it too. I swear that if he didn't need me to keep her safe, I'd be banished to another continent or something."

"Edward has a hair trigger where Bella's concerned. Hopefully that will ease a bit once he gets his head out of his ass which I predict is coming _very _soon." He nodded at me thoughtfully.

"Caught that one too, huh?" I just grinned at him. "Honestly, I have no idea what's wrong with me. I mean, I would expect to be attracted to Edward but she's another story entirely."

"Well, she does love two men together, so who knows?" I said it as a test but the slight catch of breath from my normally implacable companion gave his interest in the concept away. "I mean, I know Emmett has considered the possibility."

Hmm…now he looked a bit jealous. I knew it! He's got a major jones for the big guy too. Wow…this is like living in an X rated soap opera. I think the next few weeks and months are going to be very entertaining.

A very loud set of squeals erupted from the trio on the couch which wasn't unexpected but an equally loud curse jerked our attention to the other side of the room. Jasper was up and had Bella in his arms before I even realized what was happening.

"What's wrong?" He was using his demanding military voice which was kind of hot.

Bella was still cursing but stopped to explain. "These two fuckheads found some sort of holy grail of girly pinkness and started squealing which scared the hell out of Charlie who when nuts and scratched my leg pretty bad." Jasper set her down on the coffee table and began looking for wounds. Bella pulled up her skirt and sure enough, there was a long bloody line very high on the outside of her thigh. So high I could see her lacy green boyshorts. Hmm…sexy…NO! Focus, Rose!

"Holy crap, that's deep!" Alice was staring at Bella's leg in horror.

"He was kneading my lap when he got scared so the claws were already out." The cut was bleeding steadily. He must've been really scared.

"Oh Gawd. I'm so sorry. I just got excited." Alice was almost in tears. She was a tender heart.

"It's ok. He's a kitten. I'm sure it's not the last scratch any of us will get." Bella was calmly dabbing it with a tissue. "Actually, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to crash anyways. I'll just clean it in the shower."

She bid all of us goodnight and even gave Jasper a kiss on the cheek for his heroic rescue. The poor guy looked completely confused and excused himself immediately after. Emmett trailed off after them both which left me alone with my wife. I just sighed at the look in her eyes.

"I'm not getting sex or sleep tonight, am I?"

"You know me so well, Rosie."

"Fuck."

**BPOV**

Damn. The little beast got me good. I reached down to scrub the cut with antibacterial soap and ended up cussing again. The cut was on the outside of my thigh and way too awkward for a band aid so I just left it to air dry.

I didn't bother to wash my hair tonight since I knew I'd probably be hopping back in the shower in the morning. When you have a shower like ours, it was easy to find yourself hopping in there multiple times a day.

Wandering back into the bedroom, I dropped my towel in the hamper and started towards my lingerie chest. Halfway there, I came across Edward's shirt from the day before yesterday and decided to skip the lace and satin and go right for surrounding myself in his yummy scent. It was the softest button down I've ever felt, so I just put it on without underwear.

Fuck, having Edward's smell surrounding my naked body was really making me horny as hell. Hmm…I did just purchase some lovely new toys…and Edward was off thinking deep thoughts somewhere, so I was going for it.

I searched through my purchases and pulled out the super turbo metal bullet. I put Charlie in his bed across the room because it just freaked me out to have some personal time with him on the bed with me.

I crawled to the center of the bed and unbuttoned Sugar's shirt so I had free access. Hmm….which fantasy to visit this evening…

Edward's gorgeous face filled my mind instantly. I could picture those brilliant green eyes almost blacked entirely with lust as he crawled towards me.

I rubbed my hands up and down my torso as I pictured him leaving little kisses everywhere I touched.

_"Fuck, Angel. Let me suck on those tits." He grabbed my right breast in his hand and lowered his mouth so that he was just shy of touching my nipple. He looked up and held my gaze with eyes blackened with lust as he flicked his tongue out and began teasing around and around the hardened tip. _

_"Please baby, suck them, Please!" _

I began to twist my nipples with both hands as I envisioned his red lips surrounding my nipples and sucking them harshly into his hot mouth. I moaned loudly and felt myself literally dripping in want.

_Edward switched breasts and laved the other with his tongue just as wildly before releasing it and moving lower down my body. _

I grabbed my new bullet and turned it on right as I pictured Edward licking from my clit to my entrance in one long line. Fuck, I was going to come in record time even without the toy but I lowered the buzzing orb down until it just touched my clit.

"FUCK!" It was incredible. I pushed harder so that it was now flat against my nub and imagined Edward holding the little toy as he played with my pussy.

_"You like this little machine baby? Does that sweet little clit of yours feel good?" He rubbed it up and down against my clit and it was so wonderful that my hips were rocking with his motions. "I bet you taste sweet too." He kept rubbing my clit but suddenly dropped his head and shoved his long tongue into my entrance in fast stabbing motions._

"YES! YES! YESSS!" My pussy clenched down hard and it felt like I would never stop coming.

I was so focused on my pleasure, I didn't even notice I had an audience.

"Holy fuck."


	32. In Whiskey Veritas

**A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I got some good news this week and decided to celebrate with a second update of SP! HEEEE! **

**Also, in response to some puzzling PMs, I want to reiterate that this is a polyslash story. It will be a love story between Bella, Edward, Jasper and Emmett all together...so if that's not your thing, you may want to stop before we get to the fun stuff.**

**BTW: Since the poly stuff is a ways out, I was thinking of writing a one shot or two full of poly PWP. Anyone interested?**

**EPOV**

I poured another two fingers of whiskey and knocked it back in one go. That would be the third…no fourth drink I'd had. I had been nice and tipsy but that last shot was probably going to push me into full on drunk status. Fuck it…I poured another shot and downed it as an image of my Angel's eyes filled my head.

This whole time I had been thinking, I kept remembering that split second after I pushed her away at the party last week. Her eyes had been so hurt and dejected, but she had instantly gone back to normal. I should have realized that she was pretending to be fine but I was so caught up in my misplaced desire to protect her that I wasn't actually seeing her.

After all that my beautiful wife had been through in her life, she didn't deserve to be rejected and rebuffed by the one person who should always be on her side.

It's just…I can't erase all the horrible things that she's experienced so all I want to do is give her a truly safe and peaceful life. But I can't retroactively protect her from those monsters any more than I can promise her eternal life. I'm not used to being so…so…impotent.

I snorted out loud at my comparison and took a drink from the bottle that was somehow in my hand. Huh…when did that get there? And when did it get so hot? I was suddenly burning up.

"God, why am I wearing so many clothes?" I pulled all of them off and plopped down on the couch to reach for my bottle again.

"Who the fuck drank all my whiskey?" I mean, the bottle was half empty. I looked around wildly to see if someone had snuck in and taken part of my liquid gold but the room appeared to be empty. Well, except for my sorry ass.

Huh…sorry ass…I suddenly had an image of my ass actually apologizing to someone. The cheeks all flapped together in remorse…I would totally be forgiven. My ass is too fabulous for anyone to hold a grudge against it.

Wait…what was I thinking about? Oh…Bella and me being an idiot. I should buy her some diamonds and a horse or something.

I grabbed my laptop and pulled up Tiffany's. Ooo…Emeralds. I started randomly adding things to my cart. Every woman needs a diamond nipple ring, right? A tiara! She totally needs a tiara.

I checked out but didn't bother looking at the total. I suddenly saw a unicorn charm and started to buy it but then remembered Bella's hatred of unicorns.

Why is my camera open? What the fuck is wrong with this computer? Go away camera.

I pulled up Youtube and typed in "organ stealing unicorns". Huh…it's a cartoon about a unicorn named Charlie? We have a cat named Charlie. I clicked the link.

Holy hell. It's like a pastel nightmare. There are these two fucking high pitched unicorn voices taunting the chill phallic horse. Candy Mountain? What the hell man!

"Don't go with them! They're evil!" Whoops I was shouting. "Sorry! Sorry! Don't go to the mountain freaky horse." Why isn't he listening? I took another drink of whiskey and then choked when I saw that they had totally stolen Charlie's kidneys. "OH! Fuck! Evil pastel fuckers! Oh God…Charlie the kitten may be in on it."

My sudden fear of our kitten made me try to search for evil cats. I clicked on the link but got distracted by an image of my face and Bella's. It was an ad for some entertainment site. Huh. I clicked on it and got an article on Tanya's arrest.

Oh! Video. Sweet. Holy crap. I watched as Bella calmly walked up behind that vapid creature and then my tiny wife turned into a ninja again. Awesome. I love watching her drop someone like that. Hmm…there's links to other videos. I clicked again and was suddenly watching a pieced together report of our fake meeting and engagement.

Christ. She was so beautiful. Her smile lit up the screen. The stupid announcer dude was all enraptured by "La Bella" as he was now calling her. It suited her.

My breath caught in my throat suddenly. The story was ended with this picture of the two of us on the courthouse steps smiling into each other's eyes. I could see it clear as day now.

"We really love each other." It's written all over our faces. I took another long drink of whiskey and suddenly knew what I had to do.

"I have to tell her now."

I jumped up and ran to the stairway. I dropped my whiskey somewhere but didn't bother to stop and find it.

"Why the fuck are we up so many stairs?" I tripped and banged my knee on the edge of the stairway. "MOTHERFUCKER!" I dragged my ass up and kept going. I had to reach Bella. Whoa…when did the hallway grow fuzz?

Fucking finally. I reached out and pushed our bedroom door open, prepared to rush through and declare myself when I heard moaning.

What the…

Oh my God. Bella was on the bed with one of my shirts wide open and was rubbing this little buzzy thing on her clit with one hand and twisting her nipples with the other. I could see the way her hips moved with the little toy.

"YESSSSSSSSSS!" She had come with her head thrown back and a look of total wanton pleasure on her face.

"Holy Fuck." Her head whipped to the door as she stared at me open mouthed. I pushed off the door and tried to walk towards the bed but for some reason the furniture kept moving into my way.

"Sugar? Are you ok?" Bella was about to get up and defend me from attacking chairs but I waved her off.

"Stay there. I want to look at that pretty pussy of yours." Her eyes widened really big. "Fucking finally. Stupid vindictive furniture."

Bella giggled suddenly as I crawled across the bed towards her. "Uh, Sugar I think maybe you had a bit too much whiskey."

"Nah!" I grabbed those luscious hips and pulled her towards my hard cock. "See…I'm totally ready."

She giggled again but then looked at me seriously. "Edward, I don't want you to regret this tomorrow. I know you're not ready to get physical."

"I'm totally ready. See?" I rubbed my cock against her wet pussy. I leaned down to kiss her but ended up getting her nose. Now she was laughing outright. I took aim again and managed to catch those oddly elusive lips of hers.

"Perfect."

**BPOV**

His kiss was hot and a bit sloppy. What the hell do I do in this situation? I mean he feels fucking amazing rubbing against me but I don't really want him drunk off his ass for our first time together. I want him fully aware and invested in it.

He suddenly grabbed my hips tight and started to rock. Oh…uh…so good. Those big strong hands of his moved down to my thighs. Ow. Dammit. He must've grabbed where Charlie cut me earlier. It was the dose of cold water I needed though so I started to scratch his scalp and managed to end his rather messy kiss.

"Shh…Sugar…let's just slow down, ok love?"

He sighed kind of deep but started to relax above me and then just went boneless within about a minute.

"Wow…behold the power of the scalp scratch." I heaved and pushed until he was half on me and half beside me and tried to get more comfortable.

"Damn!" He had a little blood on one of his fingers, so I looked down at my hip and noticed it had started to bleed again and had left a bloody spot on the sheets. I rolled to get up but a heavy leg suddenly pinned me in place.

Ok, new plan. I reached down and put pressure on the cut with my fingers while trying to reach the lamp with my other hand. I gave up after a few seconds when a heavy arm joined the leg pinning me down.

Fuck it. I might as well enjoy a cuddly naked Edward while he was here. I checked my hip and was happy to see it wasn't bleeding anymore. I was kind of icked out by the concept of sleeping with blood on my hand and the sheet but my options were limited. I turned as much as I could and closed my eyes to try to get sleepy. I was out before I even could count to 100.


	33. Skirts & Swords

**A/N: Well, many of you guessed what this chapter would entail but I hope you enjoy it anyways. We are soooo close to lemon-land people…so close…**

**EPOV**

Ugh…mmm…uh…nice…

What the fuck? Am I schizophrenic now? I opened my eyes reluctantly because that thought brought awareness back fully.

Holy hell of hangovers. My head felt like it was a giant throbbing nerve. Ok, so that was the 'ugh' feeling but what's with the…

"Oh shit!" I sat up in a rush then had to hold my head to keep it from rolling off my shoulders. I kept my eyes closed just hoping that it was a dream and I wasn't lying naked with Bella.

I cautiously cracked open one eye and sure enough, my beautiful, virginal wife was lying right next to where I had been and she was basically naked. I recognized my shirt on her shoulders but it wasn't hiding anything important. Oh…so fucking beautiful…

FOCUS! What did I do? I searched her body and the bed.

"Oh God. No." On her lovely ass was one very purple bruise and there…just under where her hip met the mattress…"blood."

"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God." I jumped back and ended up falling onto the floor on my ass. I started to flail but froze when a muffled moan sounded from the bed. Finally managing to get on my knees, I peeked over the edge and saw Bella hugging my pillow and grumbling in her sleep.

What do I do? Uh…I jumped up and grabbed the first thing I saw to cover my body and then I ran.

**RPOV**

"ROSIE! LOOK!" I sat up in a rush and gazed around wildly but it was only Alice bouncing in front of her computer. We were still in the damn sitting room and she appeared to be going strong on her decorating high.

"Alice, it's 6 o'clock in the fucking morning. Did you even sleep?" I laid back on the couch and closed my eyes in frustration.

"About an hour but then I had this dream about a beautiful beach room and I had to reorder all the furniture." She was bouncing which normally would've distracted me but just then I was too tired to care. I actually started to doze again thankfully.

"Oh GOD!" The exclamation followed the banging sound of the door opening and had me sitting up and looking around wildly. It took a minute to actually process what I was seeing.

Edward was standing in the doorway wearing only a skirt…Bella's skirt to be more accurate. I looked up at his face and was instantly on my feet and running towards him. I could feel Alice zooming over to help.

"What the hell is going on?" I started to shake Edward hard.

"Did they get in? Where are they?" I looked over and Alice was holding a lamp with the cord dangling from it wildly.

"I fucked up. I fucked up." Uh…ok…I looked back at Edward and noticed his eyes were kind of panicked but if he fucked up then…

"Ok, so they didn't get in?" Alice looked at me confusedly.

"Fuck it." I did the only think I could think of and just hauled off and bitch slapped Edward. Hard.

"Ow. What?" Ok, well at least his eyes were focused.

"What do you mean 'what'? You just busted in here in Bella's skirt like the devil himself was after you. Start talking now." I gave him my most evil stare and the poor guy just crumbled. With a loud sigh, I grabbed one arm while Alice grabbed the other and pulled him over to the sofa. "Talk."

"Yesterday, Chelsea got me thinking about how maybe Bella might think I think she's damaged instead of understanding that I was trying to protect her. And then it was about how I might be just trying to protect myself." I made a mental note to give that woman a raise but just nodded for him to go on. "So I decided to take some time and think and I think I drank a bottle of whiskey."

Oh fuck. "What. Did. You. Do. Edward?" Alice and I spoke in unison.

"I just woke up next to Bella with both of us naked and there was a blood spot on the sheets." Oh no…no…no…no…

"Alice, stay with him." She growled a little. "And don't hurt him until I get back."

I took off at full speed and made it up to their bedroom in record time. The door was cracked but I slammed it open and ran directly towards the bed.

Bella sat up and screamed. Loudly. I froze instantly but then heard thundering footsteps and remembered to move out of the way quickly.

Jasper stormed into the room in his boxer briefs with a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. Emmett was behind him buck naked and brandishing a sword…and that's not a metaphor. Dude had a samuri sword in one hand.

"What is it?" Jasper moved to shield Bella on the bed but she immediately started shaking her head.

"No, Rose just stormed the room and woke me up. I saw a woman running towards me and freaked out." Oh shit.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I just thought…Edward was all freaked out…did he take your virginity drunk?" Whoops. Didn't mean to say that last part. Jasper whipped around and stared at me with a kind of fury that was pretty fucking terrifying. I automatically put my hands up in the air like I was a criminal.

"What?" Ok, I'm officially scared of him now.

"Huh?" Bella just looked confused. She suddenly looked down and realized she was kneeling on the bed naked and started to button up the shirt hanging off her shoulders. Emmett brushed by me and was at her side in seconds.

"Is that blood on the bed, Bella?" Oh shit, Emmett has a scary side too.

"Yeah, my hip opened up again where Charlie cut me last night but Edward was kind of passed out with one very heavy leg pinning me down, so I couldn't…" She suddenly stopped talking and looked at the spot on the bed and then at me a few times. "He doesn't remember what happened?"

"Uh no…he thinks he took your virginity while smashed out of his mind." I moved a little closer and sat on the edge of the bed to talk to her. "What the hell happened last night?"

She sniffled a little and looked at all of us before answering. "I was having some fun with my new bullet." Oh, awesome. That mental image distracted me and the boys for a second. "And Edward was suddenly there in the doorway completely naked. He started to walk towards me but kept swerving and running into the furniture. It was cute because he was saying whatever he thought out loud and he thought the furniture was attacking him." She giggled a bit but sobered up instantly. "He finally made it to the bed and crawled up to me but he was so drunk he missed my mouth when he tried to kiss me. He was really adorable."

"Ok, if he was that drunk then I'm guessing sex would have been impossible." Emmett actually sighed out loud in relief but Bella snorted.

"Uh…no…sex would have been _very_ possible but I didn't want to have our first time be some drunken tumble, you know. He grabbed my hip and the cut opened but I was too amused to care. I started to scratch his scalp to kind of calm him down and he passed out like thirty seconds later but he was half on top of me so I couldn't clean up the cut and it got on the sheets." She sniffled again and Emmett wrapped a meaty arm around her shoulders.

Jasper walked over and handed Emmett a towel with a somewhat disapproving look on his face. Oh yeah…he was still naked. Nice.

Jasper sat down and looked at Bella very seriously. "Did he put that bruise on your butt?"

Huh? Bella looked confused for a minute and then moved to look at her own ass. It was distracting for the rest of us but she suddenly snorted again.

"No. Carlisle gave me my Depo shot when he came yesterday." Oh. That's right. "I started them a couple years ago when Victoria threatened to give me to a guy friend. I knew she wouldn't because she wouldn't be able to sell me then, but I figured it was better safe than sorry on the pregnancy front."

Jasper and I both sighed loudly.

I finally spoke up. "I'm sorry I scared you. I was so freaked out that I forgot."

She looked at me and suddenly her eyes filled with tears. Oh crap. "No, it's ok…it's just…I thought maybe after last night…that he did want me. But what does it say that my husband has to get drunk to want to have sex with me?"

I crawled up and tentatively put my arm around her other side. Emmett and I kind of squished her between us. I noticed Jasper slip out but figured whatever he did, Edward had it coming.

"Bella, he doesn't need to be drunk. The only reason he was drinking is because he suddenly realized he was being an idiot about it all and he decided to wallow. I promise, he does want you." I looked at Emmett who nodded at me in approval.

"She's right, Tink. The dude is nuts for you. No more tears now. Let's have mimosas and watch girl power movies or something today. He can be banished for the day to think about his sins." He said it so charmingly that Bella couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok, big guy…girls day it is."

Emmett clapped his hands delightedly which had us both laughing.

**JPOV**

That stupid, idiotic, genius motherfucker. How can he damage such a sweet girl?

I stalked down the stairs and walked purposefully towards the sitting room we usually use. I'm guessing that Alice had pulled an all nighter and that was where Edward found them.

I pushed through the door to find Edward sitting on the sofa while Alice paced in front of him holding a lamp in one hand and slapping it against her other palm. I calmly walked over and pulled the bastard up before sucker punching him right in the stomach.

To his credit, he didn't scream or really make any sound. He just dropped to his knees and hung his stupid head.

"The only reason I'm not beating you bloody is because it would upset Bella. You are a damn lucky man that you passed out before you could do any damage." Alice looked up at me with wide eyes so I just nodded at her.

"I saw the blood on the sheet. There was a bruise." Fuck. His voice was so defeated that I couldn't kick him while he was down.

"Charlie scratched the hell out of her last night and it opened when you had your little pouncing session on her, and the bruise is from her birth control shot which Carlisle brought yesterday. You passed out before you could do much more than drool on her."

Huh. I didn't know a person could literally sag with relief but Cullen just did.

"She's ok? I didn't…"

"She's hurt because she thinks the only way you could ever want her is if you're drunk but Emmett and Rose are trying to calm her down." He stared up at me with tear filled eyes.

"Just kick my ass. Please."

I raised a brow and considered the pros and cons of the situation. Unfortunately Rose's voice interrupted me before I could make a decision.

"That would piss Bella off. We convinced her you're just an idiot but you are officially banished for the day. We're having a girl power movie marathon and eating a shit ton of ice cream. We can do it at our place." She walked over and put her hand on Edward's shoulder. "Wait about ten minutes and then go upstairs and take her damn skirt off you idiot."

She turned and exited the room. Alice got a phone call but followed her partner out while snickering. She passed Emmett in the doorway and he promised to bring Bella down to their house in a few.

"Edward? I was going to punch you but I'm betting Major Hotness beat me to it. So just tell me one thing." Edward looked up at him miserably. "Why are you wearing a skirt?"

"Uh…sorry…my question's more important." Alice was back and looking puzzled. "Edward, why did Tiffany's just call to confirm your 1.5 million dollars worth of jewelry purchased last night?"

Emmett and I both kind of choked at the amount but Edward just looked confused.

"OH! I decided to shower her with gifts at one point. I should go get it all." He jumped up like he was planning to rush right out but the tiny one stopped him.

"Edward, perhaps you should rethink some of your purchases. According to them, you bought a tiara, a diamond nipple ring and other very random items. I told them you might want to change what you picked out so they will have a shopper waiting for you. I suggest you make a plan to woo the hell out of your wife and _show_ her just how much you do want and love her." Alice just turned right around and waltzed back out with one last announcement over her shoulder. "Oh, I took your laptop to finish the house for the others. So do your shopping in person."

"Ok then. I get to be a girl today so I'm going to get Bella and take her down for our girl power day." Emmett started to skip out before turning back to me with a raised brow.

"Is that a gun in your underpants or are you just happy to see me?" Fuck…I was still in my boxers with the gun and knife tucked in them. I gave him my dirtiest look but he just laughed and walked away with a last parting shot. "I think I'm going to like this 'gun' in your boxers".


	34. Venting & Planning

**A/N: Happy Friday Everyone! It's almost time. This is the last chapter before things get lemony. Yay!**

**BPOV**

"Fuck him." My declaration was met with a round of giggles and head nods. "I mean, what the fucking fuck does he think he's fucking doing?"

"O-kay." Emmett was snickering loudly while talking. "So apparently Little B gets a potty mouth when drunk."

"I'm not…" uh, the room is kind of spinning, "ok, I am drunk but still."

"He's a man. That makes him like an instant idiot." Rose was with me. I knew she'd be on my side. Alice started snickering again. "Why do you think I'm a lesbian?"

We all laughed at that one before turning back to the next girl movie in the queue. I was starting to get distracted by Reese Witherspoon's bizarre southern accent when Alice made a weird huffing sound.

"Hairball, Tiny?"

"Ha ha…funny Bella. No, Edward's computer is acting weird." She handed it to me with a pathetic look on her face. I guess she needed tech support.

I started to troll around and realized that his camera was running in the background. "Huh…I wonder what he was recording?"

"He recorded something?" Emmett has this eager look on his face making me guess he was hoping for something dirty to be on the video. Perve…but that would be hot…

"I doubt it's sex, Em." He looked like I kicked his puppy. "Here." I linked to their smart TV and pulled up the recording. If I was sober, I probably wouldn't have done it, but drunk, it seemed like a great idea to share with everyone.

The video started with a very drunk and very naked Edward cursing.

"Why is my fucking camera on? What the fuck?" He was slurring his words and pretty much irate at the computer.

"I guess they both become cussers when drunk." Esme laughed out loud at his drunken fumblings.

Our attention was pulled back to the video when Edward started talking to himself again.

"Ok, yooooooouuuutuuuuubbeeee. Need organ stealing unicorns."

"He didn't…" Emmett looked at me with glee. "Charlie the Unicorn while drunk?"

"Stop." I stopped the video and turned to Alice with a questioning look. "What the fuck is this unicorn thing about?"

"Hold on." I went to youtube and pulled up the video and hit play. Emmett grabbed my hand and hid his head behind me. He was really freaked out by the unicorns.

"Oh-"

"What the-?"

Esme just started laughing hysterically. I guess the video was less disturbing and more amusing to her.

Alice just looked offended on behalf of every unicorn out there.

Rose was snickering wildly.

"Ok, that was awesome." Alice gave her partner a dirty look but Rose was still laughing. "Let's see Ed's reaction."

I restarted his video and was soon in hysterics.

"Don't go with them! They're evil!" His drunken voice slurred but his eyes were wide and he gestured wildly at the camera.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Who is he apologizing to? "Don't go to the mountain freaky horse."

Edward looked furious that the unicorn wasn't listening. He seemed to take it personally. As the video progressed, his expressions became more and more emphatic until he ended up choking on his whiskey.

"OH! Fuck! Evil pastel fuckers!" He looked so offended and scared that it was hilarious. I was crying in laughter at this point.

"Oh God…Charlie the kitten may be in on it."

I had to stop the video there because we were all laughing so hard it was impossible to hear it. I looked down to Charlie sleeping peacefully in my lap and started laughing again at the weirdness of his statement.

"He…he..thinks the kitten is going to steal his kidneys?" Emmett was rolling across the floor with his arms around his stomach.

"I think" I snorted "I think he thinks Charlie's just in on the action. Maybe the middleman." We all started cracking up again.

Emmett hopped up and grabbed his sword and held it to Charlie's little sleeping body with a giggle. "Hold there, Evil Fiend!"

Charlie slept on without even opening an eye.

After laughing for another few minutes, I remembered something I wanted to ask Emmett. "Where the hell did you get a sword?"

He smiled secretively which had his dimples popping. "I had a brief affair with a couple of ninjas."

"Ninjas?" Rose was staring at him in shock.

"Well, they were professional martial artists, so I called them ninjas. They were married and enjoyed having a third." He smirked and winked at all of us.

"You're the one who asked." I gave Rose a pointed look to which she just shrugged.

"Ok," Alice jumped up with purpose but actually tottled a little bit. I think she needs to stop drinking now. "I need you to send me the video of Edward watching the cartoon so that I can send it to absolutely everyone I've ever met."

I grinned devilishly and got to work editing our newest asset in the "Sugar needs to pay" campaign we decided on earlier.

**JPOV**

"Edward, the ladies won't let me kill you so don't give me that scared look. Focus that freakish brainpower on how to woo your woman." His head hung so low that I almost felt sorry for the bastard.

"Well, I think I'll start with changing the jewelry to some more appropriate but Angel's not the type to want diamonds and shit. I need to broaden my horizons a bit. We'll need a florist and some gourmet food…ooo…hold on." After his random babbling, the silent purposeful searching of his phone seemed a bit odd.

"Is the boss losing it?" Felix leaned back to whisper quietly.

"Nope. I'm still sane. Mostly." Edward grinned at him in a not-so-sane way. "We need to go by CI to pick up some new tech for her to play with too."

Ok, that was smart. Even though the idiot already has Bella's heart, he can't go wrong with inspiring her mind. He went back to searching random stuff on his phone, so I had a few minutes to think before we reached Tiffany's.

I almost killed him this morning. When I saw Bella sitting in that bed crying next to a spot of blood, I immediately began planning how to kill him the most painful way possible and make it look accidental. That's just not me. I don't get that involved. Bella was totally fucking up my norm.

I just don't get it. I can't stop checking her out physically when we're together but I also want to cuddle her and make her happy. If she had a cock, it'd be easy to get but no, she just had to be a female.

Then, there was her very handsome husband. I have had to actively work to keep him out of my shower fun time fantasies. And damn it, now I care about the bastard. I actually like him and want him to be happy. How the hell did that happen?

And then, there's the delicious Emmett. I've had countless orgasms with him as inspiration so there's no way to keep him out of my self-love fantasies. And the truth is that I don't want to. He's sexy and funny and smart and really, really sweet. I've noticed him checking me out, not that he's trying to hide it or anything. And he's flirted more than a little. So, why I haven't I taken that big boy for a ride?

"BOSS!"

"What the fuck?" I gave Stan my dirtiest look but he just stared at me in shock.

"We're two minutes out. I've been trying to get your attention." Now everyone was looking at me in concern. Well, everyone except Edward who was still doing God knows what on his phone. Hell, he may be taking over the world for all I know.

"Ok, well, as I said earlier, Felix is on point and I'm here as extra backup. You know the drill." The guys all immediately turned around and started to pretend I wasn't there. Fuck, I got all evil-dictator on them. I need to get laid for everyone's sake.

Maybe I could persuade Emmett to spend some time with me this evening? Little Bit would obviously be otherwise engaged as would Cullen. The jealous flare was expected so I just tamped it down and continued to ponder Emmett.

No, I can't just entice him to a booty call. I think…no, I know, that I genuinely care about him. I want to know him and spend time with him and go to sleep with him and wake up next to him. Oh shit…I'm falling for a big, gorgeous, bisexual former porn star. Well, hell…what do I do now?

**EPOV**

Ok, so I've gotten Seth and Sam involved in picking up the flowers and arranging the gourmet spread of goodies. They both volunteered. Apparently everyone is very excited to see me "get my head out of my ass." I just decided to ignore their phrasing.

I had an elite florist tracking down flowers that symbolize friendship, fidelity, remorse, hope and eternal love. I planned to make the solarium on the top floor into a sort of oasis of romance. A gourmet chef was creating a feast that we can eat with our hands with everything from fondue to chocolate covered strawberries. I had Sam moving an air mattress into the solarium and I would drape it with beautiful linens and surround it with candles for our picnic under the stars. He already had the fireplace going so that the room would be warm and comfortable as well.

Now, I just had to conquer the jewelry. We pulled up outside of the back entrance to Tiffany's and were immediately met with the friendly gaze of Stanley. He had been so great at helping to choose our wedding bands that I knew he'd be the perfect helper in my search.

"Good morning, Mr. Cullen. If you'll follow me, we have a private room set up for you and have pulled all of the…uh…items you purchased for your perusal. Ms. Brandon informed me you will likely be making some changes, so we are happy to accommodate you." I followed him with a sheepish look on my face. I could hear Felix and Stan behind us snickering a bit. Huh…we have Stan and Stanley…thankfully they are nothing alike.

"Er…thanks Stanley. I will admit that there was a fair amount of whiskey involved in my choices last night."

"Trust me, Sir, this is not the first time this has happened." He smiled in a calm way and moved over to close the door to our private viewing area.

Looking down at the bizarre assortment of jewelry I had bought was an experience. I didn't know what some of these things were, let alone why I would choose them.

"Stanley?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I think we may need to start from scratch."

"Uh, yeah, E. I think you're right." Jasper was next to me with a confused look on his face. At least I wasn't the only one that didn't get some of this stuff.

"Well, sir. First, I can tell you that your custom pieces are coming along nicely. The artist usually will not work in such a constrained time period but was inspired by your love story, so the pieces should be ready within two weeks." He smiled proudly.

I turned to Jasper, Stan and Felix to explain. "We'll be attending so many events, that I wanted Bella to have her own unique jewelry to wear when she wants. I plan to pick out a few items for her in the meantime as we have a charity ball later in the week…that is, if you all deem it safe."

They all just nodded to me in agreement. No cause was worth risking my Angel.

"Well, sir, I have some suggestions." Stanley took over immediately and managed to help me sort out the mess I had made in jewelry purchasing. I got a necklace for the CI Foundation benefit at the end of the week after conferring with Alice on the color of Angel's dress. I also purchased earrings and charms and another ring. I decided to spend the same amount as my drunken online purchases, so I rounded everything out by getting a necklace, earring and bracelet set for Alice, Rose and Esme as a thank you for all they've done for us.

All three of my companions appeared to be having trouble breathing when Stanley showed me the total but it wasn't a drop in the bucket to me. I could've spent ten times the amount and still felt like I wanted to buy more for Bella. I did, however, stop to issue one warning.

"Bella _never, ever_ hears the amount I've spent here or ever on her. Understood?" Everyone in the room nodded.

"I don't plan on ever discussing jewelry with her, so I think you're ok, E." Jasper was smirking at me with his usual smart ass expression.

"I thought you two talked about hair and nails and stuff together." Stan said this in a high pitched voice that was pretty damn funny.

"Stan, one more word and I will duct tape your mouth and drop you at Laurent's salon a note that says you like to cuddle." Jasper's tone said he meant business.

That shut all of them up.

All three suddenly got a text at the exact same time which had me worried that something was wrong at home.

"What-"

"It's a video link." Jasper sounded confused but walked over to me to show me the video he was opening to calm me down.

Thirty seconds later, I was mortified and every single member of my security team was in tears and holding their guts. I had forgotten the pastel unicorn nightmare in the shock of this morning but now I had a living color reminder of my idiocy.

"I think you're right, Boss. That kitten has to be in on it. You should interrogate him." Felix snorted his way through the insult which had everyone in stitches again, even me this time.

"Ok, fuck off, all of you. Let's take what we've got and then go to CI to get the new chemical compound and circuits for Bella." I turned towards the door but thought again and whirled back around to face them. "The first person who even thinks about trying to scare or prank me with a unicorn will suffer. You do not want to be on my shit list."

I turned back around and walked out like my dignity hadn't just been demolished by a cartoon.

**APOV**

I got the text from Edward telling me that he was back and basically ready for Bella to come back. I looked over at her lounged out on the couch with Charlie and debated the best way to get her back to their bedroom and ready to see her idiotic husband. Rose took the choice right out of my hands.

"So, B. Edward is back at the house and really ready to grovel and beg for your forgiveness. Now, as much as I agree that he's an idiot, he is still a sweet idiot who made a mistake and needs a chance to say his peace. Will you give him that chance?" Ok, so Rose was going with the direct approach.

Bella sighed and sat up to answer us seriously. We had cut her off a while ago so she was totally sober, thankfully.

"Well, I can't very well freeze him out forever. And I miss the jerk. So, of course, I'll hear him out." She gave a little nod that seemed to say she had made up her mind and leaned down to put her shoes on and get her stuff together.

"Um, Bella?" She looked at me curiously. "He's kind of set up an elaborate surprise, so will you please go along with it at least to start? If you need to escape, you can always text us or just show up here, kay?"

"Of course, Ali. I'll go along with it." She didn't sound excited. She sounded kinda sad, actually. That asshole best friend of ours better pull this off or I might have to kill him myself.


	35. Finally

**A/N: SURPRISE MONDAY UPDATE! My Monday sucked, so I thought I'd try to brighten yours a bit with a very long awaited chapter. My computer is in a death spiral, so it will be at the shop this week, so you may not get a Friday update, but I'll try. **

**So, without further ado….Enjoy!**

**BPOV**

Emmett and I walked back to the house together with Charlie stuffed into the pocked of my coat.

"It smells like snow."

"I missed snow in L.A. I'm glad to be back to a place with seasons. Maybe it'll snow two feet and we can make snowmen!" Emmett was kind of bouncing in glee. I loved his childlike excitement at everything.

"As long as you don't make them anatomically correct this time. I thought for sure the cops were going to arrest you." It was a great memory from early in our friendship before Victoria found out and made us switch to virtual contact only.

"Hey, I just wanted the world to know that they were really snow_men_, you know what I'm sayin?" He was giving me the eyebrow waggle of intrigue which made me giggle.

"Ok, I feel better now. I guess it's time to make my man grovel a bit." He just nodded solemnly. "Perhaps you should spend some time with Major Hotness. I think you two could be great…friends."

"Shut it, you." His playful shove had me staggering a bit but we arrived at the house with light spirits and parted ways happily.

I expected to see Edward when I entered our bedroom, but the room was empty. After closing the door, I wandered over to the bed where there was a long white satin gown and a note.

**_Angel,_**

**_I know I don't deserve your faith, but if you will put this on and follow my trail, I promise to make it all up to you._**

**_Yours Always,_**

**_Sugar_**

Well damn. He's a sweet talking bastard, that's for sure. After parking Charlie in the middle of the bed, I donned the gown and looked around curiously. What the hell was he talking about when he said to follow the trail?

I wandered around for a bit, enjoying the feel of the satin against my skin before deciding to check out the hallway.

"What the hell?" There, where there had been nothing, was a trail of rose petals that led down to the end of the hallway and to the door to the fourth floor. I hadn't actually ever been up there now that I think about it. In fact, there was a lot of places I haven't been in this house. Since I apparently own half of it now, I figured I better get a tour soon.

The steps were lit with a small votive candle on the end of each and still adorned with petals. Honestly, it was really lovely.

When I reached the fourth floor, I followed the candles and petals to a set of double doors at the end. For some reason, I got really nervous when I reached the doors. I just had a feeling that everything was going to change somehow.

With one final breath, I opened the doors and prepared to face the future.

**EPOV**

Deep breaths, Cullen. Fuck, I've dined with presidents, charmed foreign dignitaries, given speeches to thousands and yet I have never been this nervous. It was only my entire future on the line, after all.

I looked around and was pleased with the effect we had achieved. The mattress was draped in beautiful red satin sheets and placed about two feet from the roaring fire. There were candles in random places around the room and spaced randomly on the low table that held our food. I had her presents hidden in various locations. I knew better than to give them all to her at once. She'd be pissed as hell at the expense. For now, I had some tech gear and one special piece of jewelry for her.

I barely heard the steps in the hallway but had enough time to stride over and open the door to my love.

She was radiant. The white gown was simple but she needed no adornment. Her dark chocolate tresses spilled over one shoulder and down her back and the candlelight seemed to make her eyes glow.

"Angel."

She looked up at me with a somewhat nervous gaze. Fuck, I had done this. I had made her question herself. Well, no more. She would know from this night forward exactly where she stood with me.

"You look so beautiful. Thank you for indulging me. Please come in." I swept my arm back and ushered her into the room. I watched her as she peered around in shock and was rewarded with a breathtaking smile.

"Sugar, you do know how to dazzle a girl." Her tone held her normal sweet teasing quality which made me feel like maybe I hadn't completely fucked it all up forever. I didn't realized I sighed out loud until she turned and looked at me with kindness in those dark eyes. "It's just me, Edward. I would be happy with nachos and juice, so relax. This is all wonderful."

"You are wonderful, my love. Before we sit down, I just have to say…I mean…fuck…"she just looked at me with patient curiosity. "I'm sorry."

Huh…that was pretty easy to say.

"I know, and I forgive you." She smiled with a kind of exasperated ruefulness. "I think I'd forgive you just about anything. But don't let that go to your head, you got it?"

"Yes ma'am." I just couldn't stop smiling at her.

**BPOV**

I'm sure Alice and Rose would have wanted me to torture him more, but I just couldn't. His eyes gave him away to me every time and this time they were practically screaming their remorse at me.

The elaborate set up didn't hurt things either. We were in some kind of glass walled room complete with glass ceilings. There were plants all around and a roaring fire in the one brick wall with a large square mattress in front of it. Next to the big cushiony area was a low table filled with delectable looking food.

Also, the whole place was filled with flowers of lots of different variety. My photographic memory came in handy as I looked at each type and remembered a book I had read on symbolism. He filled the room with apologies and faith and friendship and love. Knowing my Sugar, he had researched each meaning exactly.

The whole effect had me fighting back tears because it was just so overwhelmingly lovely. And the loveliest part was the gorgeous hunk of man in front of me. He was standing in white silk pajamas with the shirt left open to show his cut chest. If he moved just right, I could get a peek of the black tree tattoo on his side. The whole effect had me salivating.

Please, please let that mattress mean some sexy fun times. Because if he just wants to have a sweet picnic, I'm afraid that I might actually tie his ass up and just jump him.

"Angel?" I looked over and saw trepidation in my man's eyes. "Uh, you were kind of growling."

"Oh." Whoops. "I'm a bit hungry actually. Girl power movies didn't have any real food accompanying them."

"Well, let's get settled then."

So, for the next forty five minutes, we ate and laughed and talked about just about everything except our relationship. We discussed upcoming functions we'd need to attend and how fun it would be to have the girls so close. It was us at our purest…just Sugar and Angel without all the angst and tension.

"Holy crap, I ate too much." I flopped back on the cushion and closed my eyes while rubbing my belly. I felt Edward moving around but couldn't be bothered to open my eyes. Eventually he landed next to me on the mattress and gently took my hand.

"Angel, open your eyes."

When I did open my eyes, I immediately registered that most of the candles were blown out. Next, I realized that without that light, I could see out of the glass walls and ceiling with perfect clarity.

"It's snowing!" Big fat flakes fell down from the sky and dissolved on the glass ceiling. I could see the stars behind the flakes and the combined effect was magical. "So beautiful."

"No, I have the most beautiful view." I looked over to see Edward propped up on one elbow just staring at me with a small smile on his face. He started to lean forward but then stopped and looked unsure of himself.

I sat up a little and leaned towards my husband before gently laying my lips on his. I brushed tiny kisses across his warm mouth for a few seconds before he increased the pressure and began to kiss me so sweetly that it brought tears to my eyes.

Somehow I was on my back and he was leaning over me when he pulled back. He gently leaned back down and kissed the tracks of the few tears that escaped.

"Edward?" There was something different about him tonight that I couldn't pinpoint.

"My Angel." He leaned back on his elbow and sighed a bit. "You should never be in question of what I feel for you. I've fucked up a lot with you and I'll explain all the whys and how's but for now, will you forgive me for being a scared jackass and trust me when I say it was all my issues and not you?"

I looked into his deep emerald eyes and nodded instantly. He had my faith and love; he just seemed to be the only one that didn't realize it.

"I got you a present and before you freak out, trust me when I say that this is a much more moderate and tasteful gift than my first purchase." I had no idea what that meant, but was happy to see the humor back in his eyes so I smiled and decided to accept whatever it was graciously.

Sitting up, I watched him pull four packages towards himself. "Uh, Sugar, you know that's more than one gift, don't you?"

"Well, it's less than I bought but that's for another day." I started to interrupt but he plowed over my rebuttals. "Now, these two are for your mind."

I took them and opened each slowly. "The first is a new type of composite that we've been toying with for defense purposes. I know you wanted to look at some new ideas in that area, so I thought you'd enjoy tinkering with this." I grinned hugely and leaned forward to kiss him. He pulled back and gestured to the second. "This one is kind of my version of a microchip that can hold more data than any before it. I figured you could do your magic and have it even better in no time."

My mind whirled with ideas and I was halfway towards getting up to head down to the office when I heard Sugar laugh and felt a hand pulling me back down. "I should've realized you'd be instantly distracted by those, but can you hold that brilliant mind of your off until later?"

"Fine." I was really eager to get into it but decided to be a good sport and go on with Sugar's amazing evening.

"The second gift is for your heart, love." He handed me a jewelry box which made me instantly nervous but upon opening it, I was shocked into silence. It was a beautiful chain and pearl necklace with an intricate locket. I opened it to see a picture of us kissing in Aro's chambers at our wedding. The other side had the words "Angel & Sugar" and the date engraved there.

"Edward, this is beautiful." I wanted to put it on right away but threw my arms around my husband instead. The locket showed such care and affection. He was telling me that he cared deeply. He may not love me like I do him yet, but he did treasure me.

I pulled back to kiss him but he held me off. I growled a bit and tried again only to be met with a soft chuckle.

"There's one more."

**EPOV**

Wow. Her reaction to the tech stuff was just what I thought it would be. And the locket had her brilliant eyes shining with happiness. I was nervous about my third gift but knew I wanted her to treasure it just as much.

"Um, well this is your other gift. Uh…just…here." I handed it to her and absently started running my hand through my hair. She just looked at me for a minute but then dutifully unwrapped the box and opened it.

The silver photo frame was actually the least expensive gift I purchased today but it was the one I was most worried about. I watched her carefully as she looked down at the lovely designs and gazed between the two photo slots with wide eyes.

The first one was a picture of us smiling up into each other's eyes at the courthouse. Engraved underneath were the words "The greatest science in the world; in heaven and on earth; is love." I heard a little hiccup as she read the Mother Theresa quote. I saw her eyes shift to the next panel which was an intricate carving with a Pablo Neruda poem.

_"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close."_

My Angel let out a soft little sob. I could see her hands shake a bit but it was blurry. It was only then that I realized I was crying. With shaky hands of my own, I reached forward and pulled the last two panels around from their hiding place in the back of the first two. They each had room for a photo with the first having the inscription, "_Ten Year Anniversary" _and the second with the inscription _"Thirty Years Together."_

I reached forward and grabbed her hands after setting the frame aside. Her head was still tilted downwards but I hooked a finger under her chin and brought her teary gaze up to my own.

"I love you, my Angel."

**BPOV**

I was frozen in shock, awe, joy, whatever you want to call it. Edward loves me. He truly loves me.

"Angel?" Oh!

"METOO!" I accidentally shouted it at him. He looked completely startled before starting to chuckle a bit. I ended up giggling myself before repeating my declaration at a normal level. "I love you, too Edward. So, so much."

His smile was incandescent with joy. I was grateful that he had put our photo frame to the side because I couldn't stop myself from jumping him. Our combined weight had him falling back onto the mattress with a little grunt before he smiled at me with his normal sexy smirk.

"I love it when you take charge, Angel." His cheeky grin made me giggle madly, but I managed to calm it down and planted my lips on his with everything I had in me.

I wasn't even really kissing him. I was claiming him body and soul. I brushed his firm lips with my tongue and began to stroke his lovingly. I could feel his large, strong hands rubbing up and down my back before lowering even further to grip my ass firmly. I hummed lowly and squirmed a bit.

I was suddenly on my back so fast that my brain took a second to catch up. Edward loomed over me with lust in his eyes and love in his heart.

"Please, let me have you, Angel."

"You've always had me, Sugar. You just took a while to figure it out." I smirked at him before continuing. "Now, make me yours fully, love."

He just growled. And holy fuck was it hot!

Our lips crashed together as my hands clawed at his shirt to pull it off his shoulders. His hands were everywhere all at once and it was delicious. When we finally both had to breathe, Edward just moved his mouth to my neck where he began nibbling his way down. He stopped in the little valley under my ear to suck hard. Apparently there's a nerve that runs from that spot straight to my vajayjay because I felt myself gush hotly.

As Edward's lips descended, his hands began a more upwards journey. It was a testament to our height difference that he could suck on my neck and have his hand running up my ankle at the same time.

My own hands were occupied as well with getting the Adonis on top of me naked as soon as possible. I pushed and tugged on the band at his waist but it wasn't budging. I got fed up and pushed on his shoulder so hard that poor Sugar lost his balance and fell on his side. I was on top of him instantly and managed to reattach my lips to his as my hands scraped down his hard chest. When I met the cloth of his pants, I pulled my head back and looked down only to see a ridiculous knot where the nice bow tie should have been.

I snarled in rage at my blocked access which caused my man to laugh a bit. He stopped laughing when I began to rub him over his pants.

"If you want to feel even better, you'll get that damn knot off!" I didn't give him time to answer as I reached down and grabbed the hem of my long gown and began to pull it off. I heard a ripping sound right as the satin crested my breast and felt him wiggling free of his pants as he leaned up and latched onto my right tit with some truly incredible suction.

"Ah!"

Edward took over removing my gown as I gave up once he started sucking on my tits and just left it tangled around my head. With a final tug, I was free of the offending garment and able to look down to see him kiss from my right breast over to the left. He looked directly into my eyes he licked my nipple in one long stroke before he bit it lightly.

"FUCKING HELL! YES!"

I started rocking on his thighs trying to get friction but Sugar wasn't having any of that. He rolled us over again so that he was hovering above me. Part of me was upset because I couldn't see The Precious from this angle but the rest of me was too blissed out to care. He continued his ministrations to my breasts while one hand lowered and teased the inside of my thigh.

Without an ounce of shame, I dropped my legs wide open and pushed on his shoulders. I had a fire that needed putting out. I could hear his husky chuckle but didn't care at all as he kissed and licked his way down my body.

He stopped to tantalize my belly button with his tongue but his hands were back to business. One held my right thigh down while the other teased the outside of my folds up and down, up and down. I was writhing under him and shamelessly begging.

"Please, Sugar. Please…fuck…please!"

Another time, I'm sure he'd beg me to tell him what to do in detail but having been frustrated sexually for so long, he didn't care about the dirty talk. He slipped one long finger down to rub around the rim of my entrance. His touch was somewhat hesitant and suddenly I remembered the sex party where a similar action resulted in me losing my shit.

"Please, yes…I want it."

As soon as the words were said, he began to push one finger in, oh so slowly. It was a tight fit but once my body accepted the intrusion, it began to feel amazing. I was so focused on that magnificent finger that I didn't realize he was done kissing my belly until I felt his tongue flick my clit playfully.

"Oh Sugar!" I planted my hands in his hair and held on for dear life.

"Love you so much. Taste so good. Mine." He was mumbling but hadn't removed his mouth from my sex so every syllable teased my nerves deliciously. I was a writhing, moaning mess by the time he pushed a second finger into me. It hurt a bit but I could've cared less because he latched onto my clit and sucked it hard.

My orgasm rocketed through my body so fast that I actually couldn't breathe for a second. It felt like my entire body clenched and then released in amazing spasms.

"Fuck, so beautiful." I vaguely realized that his tongue replaced his fingers for a few minutes as I rode out my climax.

"Mmm…love you." My words were a bit muddled but his brilliant smile as he raised his head assured me that he heard it. He reinserted both fingers but his face returned to mine so that he could look down into my eyes happily.

With a little sigh of contentment, I leaned up and kissed his moist lips slow and sweet. I actually enjoyed my taste on him because it was mixed with his own and seemed to be a perfect melding.

"Can you take another, my Angel?" His green eyes looked seriously into mine suddenly which reminded me who the frightened one in this situation really was.

"I'll take everything you have, my love." He smiled sweetly and leaned down to kiss me again while he gently pushed a third finger into me. It burned a bit but after a moment it felt full in a wonderful way. I wanted him to know I was into it, so I took a more active role by beginning to move my hips back and forth. He caught on and moved his thumb to circle my nub teasingly.

I leaned up and began to kiss him with long hard strokes of my tongue while running both hands up and down his back. The ministrations of his hands were starting to reignite the fire in me which caused my hips to rock faster and faster. My nails dug into his back as I felt a sudden tearing pain seconds before my orgasm tore through my body.

"Edward!"

**EPOV**

"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God." I was mumbling a litany of prayers, curses and exaltations under my breath as I watched my Angel cum again while my fingers were buried deep within her. Her inner muscles clamped me so tightly that I momentarily worried for my cock but seeing her absolute bliss pushed any worries aside.

I knew she had to be a bit tender so I continued to stroke in and out slowly until the final spasms seemed to leave her body. I looked down at her to see that she lay completely naked and open under me with her eyes closed and her head thrown back and all that gorgeous hair rioting under and around her head and shoulders. I've never seen a more beautiful sight in my life.

Her eyes opened slowly and she blinked up at me a bit lazily.

"Give me those lips, Sugar. I have a taste for you." She smiled like the cat that got the cream and waited for me to comply. I brought both hands to her face and was about three inches from kissing her when I saw it.

My gasp alerted her to some sort of problem. She looked up at me without the playfulness or seduction. Pure concern radiated out of her eyes but I wasn't the one who needed concern. She followed my horrified gaze to my hand that was no longer anywhere near her face.

I didn't want to mar her perfect beauty with a bloody handprint.

"Oh Sugar, it's ok, love."

"What? I tore you with my fingers! How can we possibly-"

"Edward. Look at me. Take a deep breath." I looked at her eyes and she didn't seem upset or even confused. She looked…sympathetic. "Edward, you have very long fingers. Right before my second a-fucking-mazing orgasm, you breeched my hymen."

"What?"

"Sugar, you popped my cherry with your fingers. It barely hurt at all and now that part is behind us." She was smiling so smugly that I felt a bit confused. "Oh, my sweet, worrywart man. I don't think our first time would be complete without you freaking out on me about something." She giggled so much that she snorted a bit which seemed to break some spell in me.

I started to snicker again before leaning down to kiss her. "Sorry, Angel. When it comes to you, I'm a nervous ninny, I guess." We both laughed some more.

We probably could have kept on laughing and joking except I got a distracted by the way her very luscious tits bounced when she giggled. My eyes locked on the juicy mounds like a tractor beam which just made her giggle more which just made them move around even more amazingly.

Without even thinking about it, I was down at tit-level and playing with my new favorite toys in glee. I was gently massaging the left while I ran my tongue around and around her areole lightly on the right. I switched back and forth numerous times without giving into the temptation of doing more.

"FOR FUCKS SAKE, SUGAR! SUCK MY TITS ALREADY!"

Whoops. I forgot for a second that my new favorite toys were attached to a very sexually charged woman. I was so scared that she'd take them away from me that I instantly complied and started to nibble on her left nipple while pulling the right. I switched and sucked as much of her right breast into my mouth as possible.

"MEEEWW!" She just…she just meowed, I think.

"Oh God, Angel!"

"Edward, now, please, please please." She was trying to reach between our bodies but with the way I was laying, it wasn't happening but I stopped all motion at her final whispered 'please'.

"Are you sure, my love?"

"Yes, Edward, please, make love to me." She smiled at me with complete trust and acceptance.

I may live to be a hundred but I know for certain that I will never forget her beauty in that exact moment.

Without another word, I moved so that I was kneeling between her thighs with my sex pointing towards the Promised Land. My Angel reached down and wrapped her small hand around my cock with my own, so I propped up above her on the other hand and looked into her beautiful eyes as we both guided my entrance.

She was so narrow and tight that I almost pulled back but her hand maintained its firm guidance so that with one push, my head popped into her tight cavern. She released me as she took a deep breath and brought her hand up to cradle my face and leaned up to capture my lips in a slow and sweet kiss. I lowered down so that we were flush and put one hand on her face and the other on her hip as I pushed in slowly.

I could feel her muscles adjusting but it was still the tightest thing I've ever felt. That physical sensation was actually just an afterthought though because my mind and heart were focused on the feeling of absolute rightness that came over me as I pushed my final inches inside of her.

I stayed still for several minutes, not just for her but for me as well. I was locked in a tidal wave of emotion and sensation that I had to ride out before doing anything else. When I opened my eyes again, she was smiling up at me with pure love.

"Are you in pain, love?"

"No, Sugar, the pain is gone. I feel full, in more ways than one." She leaned up to kiss me before drawing back. "But I really need you to move now and help me quench this fire that you've started."

Her smile inspired one of my own but I took her advice and began to pull out at a slow but steady pace before pushing inside of her hot body again. We began slowly but after about two minutes, we were both breathing hard and her hips were rocking up to meet every one of my thrusts.

I had been delaying my orgasm since the first push inside her but I felt it coming and there would be no holding it back this time. She could tell and asked me not to fight it.

"Please, I need to feel you come in me. Come for me, Edward!" She leaned up and began to kiss me wildly making balls tighten and my belly tingle as I slammed into her harder for a few seconds before sweet blessed release flowed through me, causing me to come in long spurts deep inside my love. Somehow, my orgasm triggered another for her, causing me to spasm and erupt even more inside her. We rocked and grunted and sighed together for a minute until both of us were too spent to move.

As soon as I got a modicum of energy back, I leaned up and looked down at my love, my wife. She had the most joyful and contented look that I have ever seen on her beautiful face. Her eyes blinked open and focused on my face with a small smile.

"Thank you for giving me you, Edward."

She was thanking me? I rolled us a bit so that I wouldn't crush her tiny form and curled up snugly with my girl before I corrected her.

"No, thank _you_ for giving me us, my love."


	36. Rub a Dub Dub

**A/N: I was so nervous last chapter for the big lemon scene. Did you all really like it or hate it. I need reviews people. They're like crack to me! To entice you, here's another lemon.**

**BPOV**

I was so content snuggled up with Edward that I could almost ignore how cold the room was. Unfortunately my body was very aware and a very pronounced shiver alerted Sugar to the situation.

"Fuck. Sorry, Angel. I guess the fire died down a bit while we were busy. It's a pretty room and all but glass walls aren't the best insulation." He looked around a bit frantically. "Damn, I should have thought of a blanket."

I giggled out loud because it was so him to be worried and blaming himself. "Sugar, I'm quite happy that your mind was focused on other matters. Why don't we head down and christen our bedroom?"

His brilliant eyes both lightened and intensified a bit at the thought but he didn't even bother to answer out loud. He simply hopped to his feet and then picked me up bridal style and carried me out the door and down the steps.

"Well all right then." I was kind of bemused by his speed.

"Are you sore, love? We should just go to sleep." There was Worryward, back in all his glory.

"I'm fine, more fine than I thought I would be to be honest." He gave me a terrified look so I hurried on. "You've got a big cock, babe, so I was expecting more pain. But, if it makes you feel better, we can share a bath before moving to the bed?"

"I think that can be arranged." His grin was part relieved and part naughty. We had just entered the bedroom and he seemed determined to carry me all the way to the bath but I was going to have to stop him.

"Er, Sugar? I need a…um…human moment." He looked confused for a second but caught on and put me down in the bathroom doorway a bit reluctantly. "Maybe you can grab us some juice or something from the bar so we can stay hydrated. I plan on burning quite a few calories tonight."

I shut the door behind me and walked towards the full length mirror on the wall. The woman looking back at me was almost a stranger. She was beautiful and confident and looked like some sort of sex goddess with her full breasts and some serious sex hair. But, at the same time, I knew it was me because I felt like a sex goddess. I couldn't stop myself from doing a little booty shake in celebration of my new non-virginal status.

Realizing that Sugar wasn't the most patient man, I turned quickly to start the ginormous tub filling and then got down to business peeing and cleaning up some. Bareback sex was very messy, but it was also so fucking awesome that the mess was worth it. I was about to walk to the door to let my no doubt anxious man in when I saw a small bottle on the counter.

I grabbed it and got down to business.

**EPOV**

Jesus. What was taking her so damn long? I know I was being childish, but it just seemed to be taking forever for her "human" moment. I'm assuming she needed to relieve herself but who knows? She could be doing some strange female ritual that men weren't allowed to know about.

I snorted at my own stupidity and started pacing again with two bottles of juice in my hands. I needed to do something useful or I was going to tear down the door, so I looked around for Charlie figuring Bella would be happy to have a report of his comfort, but the little guy was not in his bed or ours. Huh. I moved to make a more thorough search but was completely distracted by the sound of an opening door. I whirled around so fast I was a little dizzy.

Missing kitten forgotten, I stalked over and walked into the steamy room. Angel was standing beside the full tub pulling all of that magnificent hair up into a funny knot on the top of her head. She was humming something under her breath as she fastened a tie around the bun and then stepped down into the large sunken basin frothing with bubbles. The tub was much larger than a normal Jacuzzi and even had a deeper end where you could rest on a seat. She was hovering somewhere in the middle and waiting for me to climb in behind her.

I was next to the steamy pool in seconds where I put the drinks on a ledge. She looked at them briefly but then ignored the beverages and began to slowly scan my naked body. The Precious liked the attention and was actually sort of pointing at her. Fuck, even I'm calling my cock the stupid nickname now.

"Are you going to stand there trying to find fucking due north or are you going to join me, Sug?" Even her voice was like sin incarnate at that moment so I just climbed in behind her in the shallow side. The hot water felt heavenly on my tired muscles. I hadn't realized just how taxing my drunken evening and traumatic morning had been.

Her tight little body immediately moved between my bent legs as she leaned back into me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Mmm…Sugar, I just have to say that this bathroom is ridiculously amazing. I swear I considered just moving in here permanently." I laughed a bit but knew it was true. I outfitted my private quarters with the most pampering, luxurious facilities I could think of.

"Well, relaxing has never been a talent I possess so I tried to make the bedroom and this as comfortable as possible."

She sighed a bit before answering. "I know how you feel. I'm not sure I even knew what relaxed felt like until I met you. I honestly can't remember the last time I slept more than three or four hours a night before I came here." I must've tensed because she suddenly stopped talking. "Well, enough of that for now."

Instead of giving me time to answer, she craned her head up and puckered her lips adorably. I couldn't hold in my chuckle but leaned down to meet her soft mouth with my own happily. I tightened my arms around her midriff and let go of the worry and tension to just enjoy this afterglow with her.

Apparently my Angel wasn't entirely content with afterglow because she suddenly deepened her kiss and began to rock a bit. Her delicious ass rubbed my cock back and forth with her motions. I realized then that her hands were no longer on mine so I pulled back and opened my eyes to look at her.

Fuck! She had one hand on each breast and was twirling her nipples. Having been freed, her lips moved to my throat where she began to suck at various points along my neck.

"God Angel, that's just…unf…so fucking…shit…sexy." I couldn't even think straight. If I thought watching her play with her tits was debilitating, it was nothing compared to what I felt when one hand drift down her abdomen and in between her own legs.

"Mmm…Sugar?" I watched fascinated as her legs spread wide and her fingers toyed in between them.

"Uh…huh?"

"As much as I'm enjoying watching you watch me, I think I'd rather have you fuck my ass just now."

Maybe she'd let me lick her…

"Wait…what?"

She let out a lusty giggle before responding by reaching behind her and fisting my cock hard. "I want to feel this huge cock of yours fucking me up the ass, right fucking now."

"Damn." I leaned down and claimed her dirty little mouth again and decided to answer with actions rather than words. I moved one hand around to her back and down in between those perky cheeks of her to find her tight entrance. Imagine my surprise when it was slick with more than just water.

"Hmm…it seems like you've been doing some prep work, my love." She didn't answer. "I can't wait to claim that tight little ass as mine again."

Bella rose a bit so that her thighs were draped over my own and then looked back at me. "What's taking so long?"

**BPOV**

Watching Edward saunter into the bathroom had already had me leaking in anticipation but hearing him talk in that low husky sex voice made me feel like a cat in heat.

"So demanding." Guh. That voice was going to kill me.

One long finger pushed into my back door slowly. Too slowly. "Fuck, baby, just fuck it already."

I could feel him gearing up to say something about being careful but I didn't want to hear it. Instead, I just fisted his cock more tightly and pushed myself up so that my back slid up his front and my hole was high enough. He was so stunned by the move that I managed to slide back down so that the head of The Precious was rubbing my pucker before he realized it. I let gravity take control and sank down slowly.

The head of his monster cock stretched my entrance so much that it burned a lot but I relished the feeling. Another little jolt down and the bulbous tip was firmly ensconced in me. We both sighed out loud at the sensation.

"Well then, my little vixen, why don't you be in charge and I'll keep busy…elsewhere."

"Oh fuck!" His elsewhere was my very sensitive tits. Those big, callused fingers pinched each nipple hard enough to make me shudder before one hand plummeted to the juncture of my thighs.

I was about halfway down his dick when he shoved the first finger into my pussy. I growled out loud and then slammed down forcefully so that he was fully buried in my ass.

"God, Angel, your ass is so fucking tight on my cock." I moaned and leaned my head into the crease of his neck before starting to rock my hips. "That's right, baby, fuck yourself on my dick. You like me playing with your tight little pussy?"

Oh God, did I. I was beyond words though so I just moaned loudly and started to rock faster. The twin sensations of his huge penis sliding in and out of my ass while his fingers did the same to my pussy were making me delirious. When he pressed his thumb into my clit and bit my shoulder at the same time, I let loose a loud scream as the most powerful orgasm I'd ever felt shattered my body. Edward moaned almost as loud as I screamed. I could feel his body jerking under me as he shot into my ass over and over again.

Long minutes later, he gently lifted me up enough to release his cock from me before he settled me back down and wrapped his arms snugly about my stomach. We didn't have to speak to know that we were both feeling entirely contented and relaxed. After a few more minutes, Edward gently moved me forward before standing up and grabbing towels to dry us both off. I couldn't find the energy in me to bother helping the process so I just remained a boneless heap leaning against him.

Once we were out of the tub and dry, Sugar scooped me up and walked into the bedroom. Pretty soon, we were both snuggled down in the dark, curled around each other and drifting into a satisfied sleep.


End file.
